From staff reports
Allegheny National Forest will receive $5.5 million from the U.S. Department of the Interior to plug 48 old oil and gas wells, according to a joint news release from U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman.
The funding, bolstered by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will spur economic growth by creating good-paying, union jobs and protect the beauty and natural resources of Allegheny National Forest, the release said.
“For too long, methane emissions from orphan wells have polluted Pennsylvania’s air and water and endangered one of our greatest natural resources, the Allegheny National Forest,” Casey said. “Thanks to the infrastructure law, Pennsylvania can not only clean up these environmental hazards but stimulate the region’s economy by creating good-paying jobs.”
The Orphaned Wells Program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to address legacy pollution, including methane emissions and water contamination, is part of a larger strategy to ensure clean air and water for future generations and address employment challenges in energy communities nationwide, the release said.
