{"id":2189929,"date":"2024-03-01T07:43:02","date_gmt":"2024-03-01T12:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dep-hiring-dozens-of-workers-for-orphan-well-plugging-project\/"},"modified":"2024-03-01T07:47:57","modified_gmt":"2024-03-01T12:47:57","slug":"dep-hiring-dozens-of-workers-for-orphan-well-plugging-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dep-hiring-dozens-of-workers-for-orphan-well-plugging-project\/","title":{"rendered":"DEP seeks workers for orphan well project"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdep-hiring-dozens-of-workers-for-orphan-well-plugging-project%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2189929&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Pennsylvania\u200b Receives Funding\u2062 to Address Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells<\/h2>\n<p>Pennsylvania is set\u2062 to receive hundreds \u2063of millions of dollars to address \u200dthe health and environmental\u200d risks posed by defunct oil and gas wells. The state&#8217;s existing \u2064program is\u2064 now \u2064under scrutiny for how it prioritizes projects\u200d and utilizes the funding.<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)\u2062 sees this funding, totaling over $300 million \u2064from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, as a crucial \u200dtool in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-says-record-automaker-profits-should-be-met-with-record-uaw-contracts\/\" title=\"Biden urges 'record' UAW contracts to match 'record' automaker profits.\">combating \u2063climate change<\/a>. DEP Interim Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley emphasized the importance of addressing the vast number of abandoned wells in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;There\u2019s a \u200blot of things the department is doing that address climate change; the top I would say is the expansive amount of abandoned wells that we have in Pennsylvania, being \u200bable to plug those wells,&#8221; Shirley\u2064 said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>These wells are widespread throughout the \u200cstate, with many dating \u200cback decades. Some orphan wells,\u2062 which have no \u2063identifiable owner, can be \u2063traced back to the first oil boom in the 1850s. While the federal well count for orphan wells in Pennsylvania stands at 27,000, estimates\u200c suggest that there \u200bmay be over 500,000 undocumented wells.<\/p>\n<p>Plugging these wells not only addresses environmental concerns but \u200calso has the potential to create thousands of jobs. However, identifying high-polluting wells can be challenging.<\/p>\n<p>The DEP plans \u200cto use \u2062federal \u200cfunding to\u2063 hire \u200c42 additional\u200d staff members to prepare orphan wells for plugging. This process involves identifying \u2064abandoned wells and determining if there is a responsible party to hold accountable for the costs.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Some of them are going out \u200bto identify if a well is abandoned,&#8221; Shirley explained. &#8220;It sounds like an easy process &#8230; but then you have to \u200bdo a lot of \u2064legal legwork to identify if there\u2019s a responsible\u2063 party. If there is, we go \u2064after them to plug it. \u200dWe don\u2019t want to use state funds or federal dollars to plug that \u200bwell.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>However, the verification process can \u200dbe \u200btime-consuming, as companies often find\u200d ways to avoid their responsibilities through transfers and other \u200btactics.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to staff for well preparation, the DEP has \u2064also allocated resources to expedite the disbursement of funds to well pluggers.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these \u2062efforts,\u200d critics \u2064have raised \u200cconcerns \u200cabout the \u2062lack of transparency in the well plugging program. Senator Cris Dush\u2063 highlighted the low\u200d percentage of plugged wells that had significant human\u200b or environmental \u2064impacts.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Are we finding and plugging the right wells?&#8221; he questioned.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Shirley defended the program, explaining that the short timeframe for federal action necessitated a\u2064 focus on high-priority wells based \u2063on health and \u200dsafety concerns. Plugging low-priority wells near high-priority ones\u2064 allowed the DEP to maximize their \u2062impact. However,\u200c some speculate that states may \u200cprioritize low-priority wells to avoid\u2064 appearing slow compared to \u2062other states.<\/p>\n<p>While companies from various\u200d states are involved in well plugging in Pennsylvania, Shirley\u2064 expressed the hope that more\u200b local businesses, including those in\u200d the mining\u200c industry, would participate. She sees this as an opportunity for partnership and economic growth in the state.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;This is a very specialized trade and there \u200dare probably not enough pluggers; I would\u200b love to see more Pennsylvania \u2063businesses pop up to plug wells,&#8221; she said. \u200c&#8221;I know \u200bthere\u2019s been some interest from \u200dthe United Mine Workers and the AFL-CIO at potentially retraining some \u200bof their employees to plug wells. I think that could be a huge partnership and huge opportunity \u2064for Pennsylvania.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> Who should bear the responsibility\u2063 for funding the plugging and clean-up \u200befforts \u2064of abandoned wells\u200c in Pennsylvania, and\u2063 what are the arguments for industry contributions \u200dto\u200d the cost<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Until you start\u2062 digging \u2062and looking at maps and records. It becomes a very tough, very time-consuming process.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The DEP&#8217;s existing \u200c\u200cprogram has\u200b faced criticism for how it prioritizes well plugging projects. \u200bSome argue that\u200d the funds should be allocated\u200b based on the\u2064 severity of environmental risks \u2064and health hazards posed by \u200beach\u200c well. Currently, the program uses a scoring system that\u200c considers factors such as proximity\u2062 to water sources and population density, but doesn&#8217;t prioritize wells based on emissions levels \u2064or potential contamination risks.<\/p>\n<p>Environmental groups and advocates argue that prioritizing the highest-polluting wells would have a\u200b more significant impact on reducing emissions and protecting public health. They suggest utilizing advanced technology, such as aerial surveys and methane detection, to identify wells with the highest emissions rates and target them for immediate plugging.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, some question the reliance on federal funding to address the issue of abandoned wells. They argue\u200d that the oil and\u2063 gas industry, which\u2064 benefited from these\u200b wells in the past, should contribute more to \u200dthe cost of plugging and clean-up efforts. Several states have implemented programs that require operators to contribute\u200b to an industry-funded fund specifically for well abandonment and\u2062 reclamation.<\/p>\n<p>The influx of federal funding provides an opportunity \u2063for \u200cPennsylvania to reassess \u2063its approach to addressing abandoned wells. By considering environmental\u2063 impact \u2064and emission levels, the state can ensure that resources are being \u2062used efficiently and effectively. Implementing stricter regulations and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/paul-presses-cia-to-disclose-results-of-covid-origins-probe\/\" title=\"Paul urges CIA to reveal findings of COVID origins investigation\">holding responsible \u200bparties\u2064 accountable<\/a> will also help prevent future abandonment and\u200b reduce the number of orphan wells.<\/p>\n<p>The issue of \u200dabandoned oil and gas wells extends beyond \u200cPennsylvania. Many states across the country \u2062face similar challenges\u2063 and\u200c are looking for funding\u200c and solutions to address this issue. Pennsylvania&#8217;s efforts can serve as a\u200d model for \u2063other states in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/district-of-crime-how-dc-started-trying-to-stop-crime-itself\/\" title=\"DC's Crime Battle: When the District took matters into its own hands.\">developing comprehensive strategies<\/a> to tackle abandoned wells and mitigate the \u200cassociated risks.<\/p>\n<p>As \u200dthe nation continues to transition\u200c towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources,\u2062 addressing the legacy of abandoned\u200d oil and gas wells becomes increasingly important. By investing in well\u2062 plugging and clean-up efforts, Pennsylvania can protect its\u2064 environment, promote public health, and create job opportunities in the clean \u200denergy sector. It is crucial that the state utilizes \u2062the \u200dfederal funding effectively to address this long-standing issue and pave the way for a greener future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pennsylvania secures over $300 million to address health and environmental risks posed by abandoned oil and gas wells. The state&#8217;s program is under scrutiny for its project prioritization and fund allocation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2189930,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/AP23062570381509-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2189929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/AP23062570381509-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2189929"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189929\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2189930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2189929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2189929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2189929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}