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Evangelical Environmental Network: Proposed Bipartisan Abandoned Well Remediation Act Reintroduced In Congress To Identify, Plug Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells

On March 4, the York County-based Evangelical Environmental Network announced the bipartisan Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act has been reintroduced in Congress to help identify and plug orphaned gas and oil wells, which can leak harmful pollution, contaminate groundwater, and threaten public health and safety.

U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) reintroduced the bill in the US Senate and Pennsylvania Member of Congress Summer Lee (D) leads the effort in the US House.

The AWRRDA builds on programs currently in place as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will support the US Department of Energy’s efforts to more precisely detect wells and associated emissions, efficiently and sustainably plug or create alternative uses for abandoned wells, and better understand the impacts of wells on groundwater quality.

In response to the reintroduced legislation, EEN President & CEO Rev. Dr. Jessica Moerman released the following statement:

“Abandoned wells threaten the health and lives of all God’s children, from our children–both born and unborn–to our elders.

“Abandoned and orphaned wells spew methane, volatile organic compounds, carcinogenic benzene, arsenic, and toxic metals like barium into our air, water, and soils.

“We thank Senators Cramer (R-N.D.) and Luján (D-N.M.) and Representative Summer Lee (D-PA-12) for introducing the Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act (AWRRDA) in the Senate and House.

“This critical legislation will continue the work begun in the IIJA [federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act] to address these legacy health threats by creating good paying jobs to find and identify more abandoned wells for clean up.”

Click Here for a copy of the legislation.

Click Here for a copy of the US Senate announcement.

Other Reactions

Alex Bomstein, Executive Director of the Clean Air Council, said-- “Clean Air Council is proud to support the Abandoned Well Remediation Research & Development Act of 2025.

“The research established by this bill will be particularly important for Ohio, West Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania, which together represent one of the highest concentrations of orphaned and abandoned wells in the nation with hundreds of thousands of them throughout the region.

“That translates to billions of dollars worth of unfunded plugging liability that taxpayers will have to foot the bill for.

“These wells are ticking time bombs that threaten our local environments and public health while releasing significant amounts of methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas.

“This legislation will help develop effective solutions to plugging these wells, create good-paying jobs, and combat climate change.

“Clean Air Council looks forward to continuing to work with Sen. Lujan, Sen. Cramer, and our leaders at the state level to come up with common sense solutions to the unplugged well crisis."

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how you can get involved, visit the Evangelical Environmental Network website. ENN is based in New Freedom, York County.

The mission of ENN is to inspire, equip, educate, and mobilize evangelical Christians to love God and others by rediscovering and reclaiming the Biblical mandate to care for creation and working toward a stable climate and a healthy, pollution-free world.

Resource Link:

-- EDF: US House Passes Bill To Locate Orphaned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells, Improve Well Plugging Technology [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 1 to 7: Cryptocurrency Facility, 9 More Shale Gas Wells Abandoned; Attorney General Investigates Conventional Wastewater Spill; Pipeline Ordered To Provide Clean Water [PaEN]

-- DEP: Diversified Production LLC Abandons Shale Gas Powered Cryptocurrency Facility In Elk County; 9 More Violations For Abandoned Shale Gas Wells This Week [PaEN]

-- DEP Orders Energy Transfer/Sunoco To Install Water Treatment Systems In Over 200 Homes Impacted By Petroleum Products Pipeline Leak In Bucks County [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 8 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 92 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 8 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

Shale Gas & Public Health Conference:

-- Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: Dr. Pouné Saberi, MD Speaks On How Healthcare Providers Can Better Serve Individuals Exposed To Health Threats From Shale Gas Development [PaEN]

-- Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: Alison Steele, Environmental Health Project - The Science Is In, Shale Gas Development Harming Public Health - Arming People To Prevent, Reduce Harm [PaEN]

-- Shale Gas & Public Health Conference: Lois Bower-Bjornson - What Its Like Living In Frackland - Residents Talk About Dealing With The Health, Environmental Impacts Of Shale Gas [PaEN]