House passes bill to study effects of abandoned oil wells in bipartisan vote

The House passed legislation sponsored by Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) on Tuesday that aims to address environmental risks posed by abandoned oil and gas wells. The legislation was approved by 333 votes to 75.

The bill — the Abandoned Wells, Remediation, Research and Development Act — would direct the Department of Energy to develop a research and development program for abandoned wells. Pennsylvania has the second-highest number of abandoned and orphan wells of any state, surpassed only by Texas. About 27,000 abandoned wells have been documented throughout the Keystone State.

The measure, co-sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), previously passed the House Science Committee in a unanimous vote last July.

Abandoned wells have been linked to the release of toxic and carcinogenic air pollutants, including methane and benzene. They have also been linked to declines in property values ​​and, due to historical practices of “redlining” in minority neighborhoods, disproportionately injured the health of people of color.

“Until Congress takes action to invest in the identification and remediation of abandoned wells, starting with the passage of my bipartisan bill in the House, tens of thousands of people in my district and across Pennsylvania will continue to be exposed to toxins in their air and explosive gases, and lower property values,” Lee said in a statement.

Lee’s office noted that the measure is the first she has sponsored and passed the House floor since she took office in 2023. It comes a week after she won the Democratic primary for her seat by 20 points, a closely watched contest that marked the first involving a member of the House Democrats’ progressive “Squad” this cycle.

Environmental groups praised the bill’s provisions and urged the Senate to pass it as quickly as possible.

“Orphan oil and gas wells threaten public health and safety, our drinking water, and the climate,” said Adam Peltz, director and senior attorney for energy transition at the Environmental Defense Fund, in a statement. “This essential bipartisan bill will fund the research needed to improve well plugging practices, find unregistered orphan wells in hard-to-reach places such as streams, forests, farmlands and backyards, and develop beneficial clean energy uses for wells at the end of life. ”

“This bill will create jobs and benefit public health, especially for communities burdened by the legacy of oil and gas development – ​​and now the Senate must pass this bill so President Biden can sign it into law,” Peltz added .