Arkansas gets federal funds to mitigate abandoned oil and gas wells | Business

The State of Arkansas will receive $5.59 million from the U.S. Department of the Interior to plug and reclaim approximately 274 orphaned oil and gas well sites, mostly in Ouachita and Columbia counties.

The money is part of a $30.59 million grant from the federal government’s Investing in America program.

Arkansas is receiving a $5.59 million award, which will be used to plug and reclaim approximately 274 orphaned oil and gas well sites. Louisiana will use its $25 million award to plug and reclaim approximately 540 orphaned oil and gas wells.

“Toxic orphaned oil and gas wells have plagued American communities for generations. President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is empowering states and Tribes across the country to address this long-standing environmental injustice by making a historic investment to plug these wells, which will create jobs and revitalize local economies,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “With this historic funding, Arkansas and Louisiana will continue the progress already made plugging wells and begin to turn the tide on these environmental hazards that are harming our lands, waters and air.”

With initial grant funding, to date, Arkansas has plugged 57 wells and Louisiana has plugged more than 540 wells. These states have also remediated the surface and restored orphaned well sites with this funding.

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