CAPITO, MANCHIN AND MCKINLEY ANNOUNCE $141 MILLION FROM BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW TO CLEAN UP LEGACY OF ABANDONED WELLS

Statement

Today, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and Representative David McKinley (R-WV) announced West Virginia is eligible for $141,932,226 from the Department of the Interior to plug, remediate and reclaim orphaned oil and gas wells. The first phase of funding includes up to $25,000,000 in initial grants and another $30,293,000 in the first phase of formula grants. This funding was made possible by the recently enacted bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and will simultaneously reduce methane emissions, clean up the environment and help reinvigorate communities across West Virginia impacted by abandoned oil and gas wells.

"Far too many communities in West Virginia face negative environmental impacts due to abandoned wells that cause pollution in our public lands, backyards, and recreational areas. This funding announced today will help give the state the resources needed to address these hazardous sites while creating good-paying jobs at the same time. Maintaining the natural landscape and scenery West Virginia is famous for is a benefit of the bipartisan infrastructure law I helped craft, and it will continue to have a positive impact on our state's workers now and in the future," Senator Capito said.

"For generations, West Virginians have made tremendous sacrifices and done the heavy lifting that built our nation. The investments from my bipartisan infrastructure law will continue recognizing West Virginia's enormous contributions and reinvest in our communities by cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells, creating new opportunities to rebuild and thrive while keeping our rivers, lakes, and lands healthy for generations to come. I'm pleased with the Administration's commitment to quickly and effectively implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and I look forward to seeing our state move quickly to put these funds to work," Senator Manchin said.

"West Virginia is seeing immediate benefits of the $6 billion investment in our state's hard infrastructure. Cleaning up orphaned oil and gas wells has long been a priority that will create jobs and economic opportunity for our state. We look forward to the swift and efficient distribution of this first grant of $55 million, with significantly more funding on the way, to address orphaned well projects, and achieving our goal of improving the quality of life and opportunities for the people of West Virginia," Representative McKinley said.

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