In the News
Dems press Interior on orphaned wells
Houston, TX,
March 20, 2025
House Democrats are raising fresh concerns about how the Trump administration's funding freeze could impact cleanup of abandoned oil and gas wells. Why it matters: The IIJA allocated nearly $5 billion to remediate orphaned wells, a huge chunk of change for thousands of potentially toxic and methane-emitting sites across the country. Driving the news: In a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Wednesday, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher and 30 other lawmakers said the agency has offered "no clear, public guidance" on IIJA money since President Trump's executive order to halt spending.
Between the lines: It's another data point in the ongoing fight about bipartisan IIJA dollars, and it's a program that could benefit red states.
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