The Department of the Interior today announced the availability of $775 million for 21 states to clean up legacy pollution through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. These historic resources to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells and well sites – of which over $1 billion has already been distributed – are creating good-paying jobs, catalyzing economic growth, eliminating harmful methane leaks, and reducing environmental and public health risks to surface water and groundwater resources critical to U.S. communities and ecosystems.
Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Department is delivering the largest investment in tackling legacy pollution in American history, including $4.7 billion to plug orphaned wells. This includes grants to states in three categories: initial grants, formula grants, and performance grants.