OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Supporting Orphan Well Grants

Floor Speech

Date: Jan. 18, 2024
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bipartisan bill, the Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act.

We all know that abandoned wells, either unplugged or improperly plugged, can pose serious environmental and health risks to surrounding communities. In Pennsylvania alone, there are more than 27,000 documented abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells across the State.

It is not just a Pennsylvania issue, however, as abandoned wells are found across the country. The Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act, which I introduced alongside my colleague Congressman Deluzio from Pennsylvania, will empower States to maximize their flexibility when plugging abandoned oil wells and cut red tape to accelerate environmental rehabilitation.

We have many of the resources we need to plug these wells, and now it is our job to ensure that they are able to be used for their intended purpose.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Deluzio for joining me in leading this critical effort, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

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