DENVER (March 4, 2025) — Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) will accelerate efforts to identify, plug, and remediate abandoned oil and gas wells that can leak methane and other toxic chemicals. The Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act will enable the Department of Energy to better detect orphaned wells, quantify toxic emissions, and develop more efficient and economical ways to clean up the wells or find alternative uses for them.

“Abandoned wells can leak oil, toxic chemicals, and methane putting our land, water, wildlife, outdoor recreation, and rural economies at risk. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 invested $5 billion to plug these oil and gas wells. The bipartisan Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act builds on this by investing in finding more wells, reducing plugging and reclamation costs, and finding alternative uses for abandoned wells,” said David Willms, associate vice president of public lands at the National Wildlife Federation. “This investment will benefit our land, water, and wildlife all while creating good paying jobs and supporting rural communities. We thank Senators Luján and Cramer for their leadership in addressing abandoned oil and gas wells.