24 states get $560M for high-priority cleanup of wells

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The Interior Department is giving 24 states a total of $560 million to start cleaning high-priority oil and gas wells abandoned on state and private land. A news release said up to 10,000 wells could be dealt with under grants announced Thursday.

It’s part of $4.7 billion set for orphan well cleanup under the bipartisan infrastructure plan approved late last year. The department has said $1.15 billion will be given out during this fiscal year. Most of the states are getting $25 million each.

Arkansas and Mississippi are getting $5 million each.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.