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This bill would make it easier for states to get federal grants to plug orphaned oil and gas wells without having to first measure methane emissions or do other extra monitoring work. It also lets states use grant money for methane estimates based on either before-plugging or after-plugging data, if they choose to collect that information. In addition, the bill would require the Interior Department to ask the National Academies to study how cleaning up orphaned wells affects local communities, including jobs, housing, and possible benefits like cleaner water. The study would look at several regions across the country and report its findings to Congress.
- States would not have to measure methane emissions as a condition for getting a grant under the orphaned well program.
- Grant-related methane estimates could be based on data collected before wells are plugged or after they are plugged, but states would not be required to collect that data.
- The Interior Secretary would need to seek a study from the National Academies on how plugging and cleaning up orphaned wells affects economic growth, housing, and other community benefits.
- The study would include input from at least one state in each major U.S. region, work with other agencies and groups, and be sent to Congress within 18 months after the final grant is awarded.
Official Summaries
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.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1217 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1217
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to address measuring methane
emissions, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 11, 2025
Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania (for himself and Mr. Deluzio) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to address measuring methane
emissions, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. PRE-PLUGGING METHANE EMISSIONS FOR GRANT ELIGIBILITY.
Section 349 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15907) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(2), by adding at the end the
following:
``(C) Activities not required.--Nothing in this
section requires a State to measure methane emissions
or conduct other activities described in subparagraph
(A), which are activities a State may conduct but is
not required to conduct, as a condition of eligibility
for a grant under this subsection.''; and
(2) in subsection (f)(2), in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A), by inserting ``, which may include estimates
derived from pre-plugging or post-plugging monitoring data that
States may, but are not required to, collect using funding from
grants awarded under this section,'' after ``estimate''.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL ACADEMIES STUDY ON COMMUNITY IMPACT OF ORPHANED WELL
GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Study.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall--
(1) seek to enter into an agreement with the National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under which
the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
shall carry out a study on the effect of the plugging and
remediation activity conducted under section 349 of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15907) on economic development,
housing trends, and other potential benefits (such as
improvements in water quality) in areas where the plugging and
remediation activity conducted under that section reclaimed a
high number of sites, as determined by the National Academies
of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and
(2) to the maximum extent practicable, provide the National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine with
information necessary to carry out the study described in
paragraph (1).
(b) Key Inputs.--The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine shall ensure that at least 1 State from each region of the
United States (Northeast, Southwest, West, Southeast, and Midwest)
shall be key inputs to the study carried out under subsection (a).
(c) Consultation.--In carrying out the study under subsection (a),
the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shall
consult with--
(1) the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with
respect to--
(A) how the plugging and remediation activity
conducted under section 349 of the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (42 U.S.C. 15907) has affected economic
development and housing trends; and
(B) how data on locations of plugging and
remediation priorities from the Department of the
Interior may be valuable to the Department of Housing
and Urban Development;
(2) the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, to
provide data required to carry out the study under subsection
(a); and
(3) other Federal agencies, as determined by the Secretary
of the Interior, in consultation with the National Academies of
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
(d) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date on which the
last grant is awarded under section 349 of the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (42 U.S.C. 15907), the National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine shall submit to Congress a report detailing
the findings of the study carried out under subsection (a).
(e) Use of Existing Funds.--This section shall be carried out using
amounts otherwise made available to the Secretary of the Interior.
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