The Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58) appropriated $4.7 billion to plug and reclaim orphaned wells, $250 million of which was for cleanup on federal lands. And several proposals this year, including the Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act (S. 429) and the President’s FY2024 Budget, propose millions of dollars more in funds to address the reclamation of orphaned wells.

TCS has long advocated for reforms to address the increasing taxpayer costs from orphaned wells and mines. Generously doling out taxpayer dollars is not a magical cure that can solve the underlying problem, and the measures’ lack of reforms to accompany the dollars is alarming. Without reform and industry accountability, reclamation liabilities will only continue to grow and burden taxpayers. Here are some general principles and options for reform we think lawmakers should consider when crafting proposals to address orphaned wells.

Read the issue brief below, or download it here.