Little Rock, Arkansas, – The U.S. Department of the Interior has allocated funds to tackle pollution stemming from abandoned well sites. The department’s announcement on Thursday revealed a grant of $5.59 million to Arkansas, aimed at plugging and rehabilitating around 274 orphaned oil and gas wells scattered across the state. Department officials emphasized the importance of this funding in curbing methane leaks, safeguarding public health, and generating employment opportunities.
The initiative includes comprehensive measures such as detecting and quantifying methane gas leaks, as well as evaluating potential impacts on ground and surface water. Notably, the Interior Department intends to prioritize addressing orphaned wells in proximity to disadvantaged communities.
A spokesperson from the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission highlighted that the majority of the wells covered by the grant are located near Stephens in Columbia and Ouachita counties, situated in southwest Arkansas. The funding will facilitate various activities, including well plugging, replugging, capping, and the removal of associated equipment and debris. These efforts are part of the commission’s broader Abandoned and Orphan Well Program.
Moreover, it was mentioned that funding for well capping, not covered by federal grants, is sourced from annual fees paid by operators of liquid hydrocarbon wells and transfers from other commission line funds.
This allocation of funds is part of a larger initiative totaling $30.59 million for Arkansas and Louisiana. This forms a segment of the $660 million in grant funding being progressively disbursed by the Biden administration under its Justice40 Initiative. Arkansas had previously received $5 million from this program to address 57 wells.
Officials underscored the significant progress made nationally, with over 7,700 orphaned wells being plugged since the inception of the program.
