Rep. Sweeney Announces $11.2M for Remediation of Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells
COLUMBUS – State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake) today announced the Controlling Board approved $11.2M in state funds to remediate previously abandoned oil and gas wells, also known as “orphan wells,” throughout the state. Properly plugging orphan wells is vital to protecting public health and safety and better conserve Ohio’s natural resources.
“There are currently thousands of orphan wells across Ohio, many of which were abandoned more than 50 years ago and burden unwitting property owners with a costly and dangerous environmental hazard they were likely unaware of when they first purchased the property,” said Rep. Sweeney. “With this dedicated funding, we are not only making critical investments in Ohio’s environmental health and safety, but we are also supporting local remediation contractors and new employment opportunities for Ohio workers, creating a win-win for Ohio’s economy and environment¿.”
Ohio has approximately 20K officially documented orphaned wells, although most experts and industry observers agree it is likely there are many more undocumented scattered across Ohio from farmlands to urban centers. Orphan wells pose a significant danger to the environment, notably for groundwater reserves. If left alone, oil and natural gas can seep out of the well and contaminate water reserves, which harms both natural resources and public safety.
First established in 1977, Ohio’s Orphan Well Program is one of the earliest and best-funded programs in the country, recently plugging more than 1,200 wells in the past five years. The program is funded through the state tax on oil and gas production and is expected to have more than $500M to plug wells over the next half decade. The Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act will also allocate an additional $326M in federal grant funds to be spent plugging wells in Ohio through 2030.
Other approved Controlling Board items include:
- $5M to subsidize the HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) Weatherization program, which installs energy-saving measures in homes below the federal poverty level.
- $1M to build housing in Cleveland for homeless youth and provide tenants with on-site social services such as life skills support and employment assistance.