HR 1217 ยท Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Introduced
- Feb 11, 2025
- Latest action
- Feb 11, 2025
- Sponsor
- Rep. Glenn Thompson [R-PA-15]
- Policy area
- Environmental Protection
- Cosponsors
- 4
Summary
Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2025 This bill removes certain requirements, including measuring methane emissions, for grants to states under the State Orphaned Wells Program. Under the program, the Department of the Interior provides grants to states for the following purposes: (1) plugging, remediating, and reclaiming orphaned wells located on federal land; (2) identifying and characterizing undocumented orphaned wells; (3) measuring and tracking emissions of gases (e.g., methane) or contamination of water associated with orphaned wells; or (4) conducting certain other related activities. Generally, orphaned wells are oil and gas wells without solvent owners or operators responsible for cleaning up leaks from the wells. In 2024, Interior issued guidance for the grant program that requires states to conduct certain measuring and tracking activities related to the orphaned wells before and after receiving grants. However, the bill specifies that states are not required to provide such information in order to receive a grant. Instead, the bill makes measuring and tracking optional. The bill also directs Interior to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study the effect of the plugging and remediation activity on economic development, housing trends, and other potential benefits in areas where the plugging and remediation activity reclaimed a high number of well sites.
Recent actions
- Feb 11, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Feb 11, 2025 Introduced in House
- Feb 11, 2025 Introduced in House
Votes
No recorded votes are available for this bill.