Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2024

HR 7053, the Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2024, modifies a 2005 law to give states more flexibility in using federal grants to plug abandoned oil and gas wells (called "orphaned wells"). It removes the requirement for states to measure methane emissions or conduct specific activities to qualify for these grants, allowing states to choose whether to use pre-plugging data for estimates. The bill also directs the Interior Secretary to commission a National Academies study, within 18 months, examining how plugging these wells affects local economic development, housing, and water quality in communities with many plugged sites. This study will involve input from at least one state per U.S. region and consult with agencies like HUD and the oil and gas compact commission.