Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley launched a new grant program aimed at plugging orphaned oil and gas wells throughout the state. This initiative supports the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to reducing methane emissions, protecting public health, and creating jobs across Pennsylvania.
The new program is part of the $76 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) under the Biden-Harris Administration. It offers grants up to $40,000 for wells 3,000 feet deep or less, and up to $70,000 for wells deeper than 3,000 feet. The grants will be available to qualified well pluggers for orphan wells, which are wells that were abandoned before 1985. Applications will open on October 9, 2024, through DEP’s website, and grants will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
"By prioritizing the capping and plugging of orphaned and abandoned wells, my Administration is making meaningful strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while also supporting thousands of good-paying energy jobs across Pennsylvania," said Governor Shapiro. "Pennsylvania has a long legacy as an energy leader – and these wells are proof of that. Now, we are continuing that legacy by plugging and capping them, improving air quality, reducing emissions, protecting public health, and creating jobs. We are rejecting the false choice between protecting jobs and protecting our planet – and my Administration will continue to draw down as much federal funding as possible to do this critical work."
“Orphan wells can leak methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere and pollute groundwater. It is not a matter of ‘if’ an orphan well will be a threat to the environment and public health – it’s a matter of ‘when’,” said DEP Acting Secretary Shirley. “This new program will allow private entities to plug lower-risk and lower-cost orphan wells while DEP focuses on priority wells that can be more expensive to plug. Plugging these orphan wells creates good-paying jobs and improves the environment. We are encouraging any qualified well pluggers to apply and help improve the economy and the environment.”
Since day one, the Shapiro Administration has been dedicated to maximizing every opportunity to plug orphaned and abandoned wells in Pennsylvania, successfully plugging over 260 wells so far — more than in the previous 10 years combined. The 2024-25 budget allocated $11 million to DEP’s Office of Oil and Gas Management, ensuring that Pennsylvania can fully leverage available federal funds for well plugging.
Recently, the United Mine Workers of America announced a new apprenticeship program to train workers to plug wells and restore well sites.
Pennsylvania is home to more than 350,000 orphaned and abandoned wells, contributing nearly 8 percent of the state's total methane emissions. Methane is especially hazardous, being up to 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide, which poses a potential risk to life and property, significantly warming the planet, and contributing to harmful air pollution.
DEP has identified over 27,000 orphaned and abandoned wells and is prioritizing those posing the highest risks. DEP will continue to focus new plugging contracts on these high-priority wells, along with nearby wells, to maximize efficiency and preempt environmental threats. Meanwhile, the grant program will fund wells lower on the current priority list so that they do not become environmental hazards in the future.
DEP is aggressively going after operators who are walking away from wells and stepping in with emergency plugging contracts where needed to protect public health. Through IIJA funding and existing state funding for DEP, the Commonwealth is moving aggressively to tackle this massive contributor of greenhouse gases.
More information on the grant program is available on the DEP website: Rewriting Pennsylvania’s Legacy Orphan Well Plugging Grant Program.
For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s website, or follow DEP on Facebook, X, or LinkedIn.
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