Tens of thousands of orphaned oil and gas wells dot West Virginia, reports Sarah Elbeshbishi for the Mountain State Spotlight. Even with a potential boost of millions of federal dollars, the state doesn’t have the resources to clean them up.
In a nutshell:
West Virginia grapples with thousands of orphaned oil and gas wells, abandoned structures posing pollution concerns. While the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has allocated $4.7 billion to address damage from the oil and gas industry, including a projected $212 million for West Virginia, it's only a fraction of what's needed. Despite the funding, many undocumented wells may remain untouched due to registration discrepancies predating 1929, raising questions about the state's comprehensive response to this widespread issue.
Key quote:
“We would just like it to be plugged so that we can reclaim this property, and we never have to worry about anything leaking out of it,” property owner Cindy Dotson said. At times, she says she sees a film she thought was oil leaking at the base of the tank but has never been able to confirm it.
The big picture:
Abandoned oil wells pose not only environmental but also significant health risks. Toxic leaks from these neglected structures can contaminate local water sources, affecting drinking water quality and potentially leading to a range of health complications for nearby residents. The emission of harmful gases, such as methane, from these wells can exacerbate respiratory conditions and contribute to the broader public health challenge of air pollution.
Read the article at the Mountain State Spotlight.
Earlier this year, EHN journalist Kristina Marusic wrote about Diversified Energy Company, the largest owner of oil and gas wells in the country, which might abandon up to 70,000 oil and gas wells throughout Appalachia without plugging them.
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