Senate Committee Legislation Latest Sign of Continued Momentum to Plug Orphan Wells
EDF Statement from Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President, Political Affairs
Today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed legislation that includes the bipartisan Revive Economic Growth and Reclaim Orphan Wells (REGROW) Act, S. 1076.
“EDF applauds the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for passing this important policy initiative, which would create tens of thousands of jobs and protect local communities from air, water and climate pollution from old, leaky orphan oil and gas wells. Properly plugging these wells is a key part of the overarching changes – including reforms to bonding and other policies that prevent wells from becoming orphaned in the future – needed to mitigate the past, current and future environmental impact of the oil and gas industry.
- Elizabeth Gore, EDF Senior Vice President, Political Affairs
The REGROW Act would invest $4.7 billion to clean up this widespread and long-term hazard. It would ensure all 57,000 documented oil and gas orphan wells in the U.S. are properly plugged and remediated, and also help to identify and catalogue the hundreds of thousands of other improperly abandoned wells across the country.
One of the world’s leading international nonprofit organizations, Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org) creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships. With more than 3 million members and offices in the United States, China, Mexico, Indonesia and the European Union, EDF’s scientists, economists, attorneys and policy experts are working in 28 countries to turn our solutions into action. Connect with us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund
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