S 3496 United States Senate · 118th Congress

Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2023

This bill amends federal grant rules for cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells (orphan wells). It removes a requirement for states to measure methane emissions or conduct specific monitoring activities to qualify for these grants, giving states flexibility to choose whether to collect such data. Additionally, it directs the Interior Department to commission a National Academies study within 180 days to examine how plugging these wells affects local economies, housing, and water quality in communities where many wells were cleaned up. The study must include input from all five U.S. regions and report to Congress within 18 months of the last grant being awarded, using existing funding.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2023
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Dec 13, 2023 Last action Dec 13, 2023
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2
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Committee
1
Dec 13, 2023
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
upper
Dec 13, 2023
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 13 co-sponsors

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