200 Orphan Wells Plugged
Just some great news today on climate change work relating to orphan wells, which didn't even cost Michigan taxpayers a dime.
But first, what is an orphan well? Orphan wells are abandoned or improperly plugged oil and gas wells without a solvent owner or operator to hold accountable.
Last summer, Michigan received a huge $25 million grant from the Department of Interior to fast-track this work, which allowed us to plug nearly half of Michigan's orphan wells in 2023 alone!
“'Through this boost in funding, we hope to do 25 years’ worth of work in the next few years,' said Adam Wygant, director of the oil and gas division at Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) [...] Improperly abandoned well sites can leak contaminants into surface and groundwater, and methane and other greenhouse gases also escape and contribute to climate change. Climate scientists argue addressing oil fossil fuels infrastructure that leak methane and other air pollutants into the atmosphere are a good way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."
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