Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2025
Congress would let states skip methane measuring and still qualify for orphaned well plugging grants
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- States could keep qualifying for federal orphaned well plugging grants even if they do not measure methane at wells before plugging them.
- States would be allowed (but not required) to use grant money to collect methane monitoring data before or after plugging, and to use those data to make estimates.
- The Interior Department would be told to work with the National Academies to study how well-plugging projects affect local communities, like jobs, housing, and possible water quality benefits.
- The study must include input from at least one state in each U.S. region and consult with Housing and Urban Development and other groups for data and expertise.
- The study would use existing Interior Department funds, and a report would go to Congress after the last grant under the program is awarded.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
2 articles
Interior’s slow pace on orphaned oil wells worries states
State officials say methane-measurement and other requirements tied to federal orphaned-well funds are slowing plugging work; the Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act is cited as a proposed fix.
Interior opposed to well-plugging bill over methane testing
Interior officials argued against making methane measurement optional for state orphaned-well grants, opposing the Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act proposal discussed in a House hearing.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2025
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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