Ansari, Bennet, Padilla, Hickenlooper, Schiff, Luján Introduce Legislation to Protect Public Lands and Taxpayers from Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) and Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet led U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) to introduce the Stop Orphaned Wells Act, legislation that would prevent oil and gas companies from abandoning oil wells on public lands, a practice that shifts well cleanup costs from oil and gas companies to the American taxpayer. “Trump asked oil and gas executives to bankroll his campaign with a $1 billion contribution in exchange for a big payback. Meanwhile, Americans are left footing the bill for the damage they leave behind,” said Ansari. “Orphaned wells threaten our water, wildlife, and air. I’m proud to lead the effort alongside Senator Bennet to make the oil and gas industry clean up its own mess. Our bill would ensure oil and gas companies pay to clean up the wells they abandon.” “For too long, taxpayers have footed the bill to clean up abandoned wells after companies walk away from their responsibilities,” said Bennet. “As the Trump administration moves to weaken the safeguards that hold companies accountable, Congress must protect taxpayers and the public lands that power Colorado’s outdoor economy, while making sure oil and gas companies pay the cost of cleanup, rather than Colorado's future generations.” “Across California, there are over 5,000 orphaned oil wells that pose a threat to the health and safety of our communities and the environment,” said Padilla. “When wells are left abandoned, drinking water is polluted, greenhouse gases are emitted, and the climate crisis is accelerated. This bill will help ensure orphaned oil and gas wells are plugged so Californians and communities across the country are protected from toxic emissions and contaminated air and water.” “Abandoned wells put Colorado communities in danger,” said Hickenlooper. “As Governor, we capped as many of these wells as we could, and that work continues here in the Senate, where we’re protecting taxpayers from getting stuck with the bill. Capping wells creates jobs and lowers pollution. It’s a win-win.” “Oil companies can’t just walk away from abandoned oil and gas wells and leave taxpayers to bear the cleanup costs,” said Schiff. “I’m joining Senator Bennet and other colleagues to make sure that Big Oil is responsible for cleaning up their messes. Americans should not have to deal with the consequences of an oil company’s negligence.” “In New Mexico and across the country, abandoned wells pose serious environmental harm and threaten the health of our communities,” said Luján. “We must ensure that oil and gas companies are held accountable and that taxpayers are not on the hook for the cost of cleanup. I've long fought to address abandoned wells, including championing the REGROW Act that was passed into law, and continue to work to ensure we identify and plug the thousands of abandoned wells nationwide. That’s why I’m cosponsoring this legislation to prevent companies from abandoning their wells and help reduce the number of abandoned wells in New Mexico and across the country.” “When an oil and gas company goes bankrupt, New Mexicans shouldn’t be the ones left to pick up the tab for cleanup costs,” said Heinrich. “Right now, the Trump administration is making it easier for these companies to walk away without enough money set aside to clean up their wells. The Stop Orphaned Wells Act ensures that companies set aside money to meet their cleanup responsibilities, so taxpayers aren’t left paying the bill.” Until 2024 when the Biden administration added agency rules, oil and gas fiscal assurance requirements were minimal, leading companies to abandon wells instead of remediating the land after drilling. The Trump administration is now rolling back these essential protections for public lands and American taxpayers. Nationwide, there are currently over 140,000 documented orphaned wells, including more than 15,000 on federal lands, and hundreds of thousands more that may be orphaned. Additionally, the number of documented orphaned wells in the United States has more than doubled since 2020 . These sites are not only a significant liability for taxpayers and a growing threat to water resources, air quality , wildlife habitat, and private lands, but also jeopardize public health, ecosystems, grazing lands, outdoor recreation sites, and cultural resources that are at high risk from contamination. This legislation is supported by 20 organizations, including Earthjustice Action, Colorado Fiscal Institute, Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, Conservation Colorado, Montana Wildlife Federation, National Parks Conservation Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, Nevada Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Public Land Solutions, Rocky Mountain Wild, San Juan Citizen’s Alliance, Sierra Club, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Trout Unlimited, Western Colorado Alliance, Western Organization of Resource Councils, Western Resilience Center, Wild Montana, Wilderness Workshop, and The Wilderness Society. In addition, this legislation was endorsed by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The text of the bill is available HERE . A summary of the bill is available HERE . Additional stakeholder quotes are available HERE . ### Print Email Share