Senate legislation addresses growing orphaned oil well crisis and puts the public first
WildEarth Guardians, flickr.
Underlying these crises is the outdated federal oil and gas leasing system, which for decades has failed to protect our communities and public lands
Washington, DC (June 22, 2021) - Today, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet introduced two crucial pieces of legislation to address an outdated federal oil and gas leasing system - the Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act and the Public Engagement Opportunity on Public Land Exploration (PEOPLE) Act. The Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act would strengthen bonding requirements and provide funding to clean up orphaned well sites now, taking the burden off of local communities, while the PEOPLE Act would create new standards to ensure robust public participation in land management decisions.
In response to the bills’ introduction, The Wilderness Society released the following statement from Colorado Director Jim Ramey:
“Communities deserve to have a say in what happens on public lands and to know that they won’t be left to clean up a mess left by oil and gas companies. For decades, orphaned oil and gas wells have not only left communities with the clean-up, but also with the hazards of chemicals leaking into their air and drinking water.
Senator Bennet’s bills would not only work to clean up the nation’s toxic orphan well crisis but also ensure that oil and gas companies, not taxpayers, are responsible for future clean-ups, while also ensuring that communities across Colorado and the nation will have a voice in the management of public lands for the future.”
CONTACTS:
- Alex Thompson, communications manager, The Wilderness Society, (860) 416-0564, alex_thompson@tws.org
