Plug Offshore Wells Act
The Plug Offshore Wells Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit an annual report to Congress and the public detailing the status of decommissioning offshore oil and gas wells, platforms, and pipelines. This report must include data on the number of decommissioning applications received, wells left in place versus removed, pipeline lengths decommissioned, and enforcement actions taken by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. The law applies to the Department of the Interior and affects the oversight of offshore energy infrastructure cleanup. The reporting requirement begins two years after the bill is enacted and continues annually thereafter.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Mar 26, 2026
Last action Jul 15, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
3
Key actions
1
Committee
2
Jul 15, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.
upper
Mar 26, 2026
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
upper
Mar 26, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Peter Welch
DDemocratic
Co
Edward J. Markey
DDemocratic
Co
Jeff Merkley
DDemocratic
Co
Ron Wyden
DDemocratic
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