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H.R. 1217: Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2025

119th Congress · introduced 2025-02-11 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2025

Plain summary

Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2025 This bill removes certain requirements, including measuring methane emissions, for grants to states under the State Orphaned Wells Program. Under the program, the Department of the Interior provides grants to states for the following purposes: (1) plugging, remediating, and reclaiming orphaned wells located on federal land; (2) identifying and characterizing undocumented orphaned wells; (3) measuring and tracking emissions of gases (e.g., methane) or contamination of water associated with orphaned wells; or (4) conducting certain other related activities. Generally, orphaned wells are oil and gas wells without solvent owners or operators responsible for cleaning up leaks from the wells. In 2024, Interior issued guidance for the grant program that requires states to conduct certain measuring and tracking activities related to the orphaned wells before and after receiving grants. However, the bill specifies that states are not required to provide such information in order to receive a grant. Instead, the bill makes measuring and tracking optional. The bill also directs Interior to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study the effect of the plugging and remediation activity on economic development, housing trends, and other potential benefits in areas where the plugging and remediation activity reclaimed a high number of well sites.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2025

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15] · 4 cosponsors

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Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong119-hr1217 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills