Padilla, Schiff, Bennet, Hickenlooper, Luján Introduce Legislation to Hold Oil and Gas Companies Accountable, Protect Public Lands and Taxpayers from Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Stop Orphaned Wells Act, legislation that would prevent oil and gas companies from abandoning oil wells on shared public lands, a practice that shifts well cleanup costs from oil and gas companies to the American taxpayer. U.S. Representative Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.-03) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Many orphaned oil and gas wells pose a serious risk to Americans' health and safety by contaminating surface and groundwater, releasing toxic air pollutants, and leaking methane, one of the most potent heat-trapping greenhouse gasses.

"Across California, there are over 5,000 orphaned oil wells that pose a threat to the health and safety of our communities and the environment," said Senator Padilla. "When wells are left abandoned, drinking water is polluted, greenhouse gases are emitted, and the climate crisis is accelerated. This bill will help ensure orphaned oil and gas wells are plugged so Californians and communities across the country are protected from toxic emissions and contaminated air and water."

"Oil companies can't just walk away from abandoned oil and gas wells and leave taxpayers to bear the cleanup costs," said Senator Schiff. "I'm joining Senator Bennet and other colleagues to make sure that Big Oil is responsible for cleaning up their messes. Americans should not have to deal with the consequences of an oil company's negligence."

"For too long, taxpayers have footed the bill to clean up abandoned wells after companies walk away from their responsibilities," said Senator Bennet. "As the Trump administration moves to weaken the safeguards that hold companies accountable, Congress must protect taxpayers and the public lands that power Colorado's outdoor economy, while making sure oil and gas companies pay the cost of cleanup, not Colorado's future generations."

"Abandoned wells put Colorado communities in danger," said Senator Hickenlooper. "As Governor, we capped as many of these wells as we could, and that work continues here in the Senate, where we're protecting taxpayers from getting stuck with the bill. Capping wells creates jobs and lowers pollution. It's a win-win."

"In New Mexico and across the country, abandoned wells pose serious environmental harm and threaten the health of our communities," said Senator Luján. "We must ensure that oil and gas companies are held accountable and that taxpayers are not on the hook for the cost of cleanup. I've long fought to address abandoned wells, including championing the REGROW Act that was passed into law, and continue to work to ensure we identify and plug the thousands of abandoned wells nationwide. That's why I'm cosponsoring this legislation to prevent companies from abandoning their wells and help reduce the number of abandoned wells in New Mexico and across the country."

"Trump asked oil and gas executives to bankroll his campaign with a $1 billion contribution in exchange for a big payback. Meanwhile, Americans are left footing the bill for the damage they leave behind," said Representative Ansari. "Orphaned wells threaten our water, wildlife, and air. I'm proud to lead the effort alongside Senator Bennet to make the oil and gas industry clean up its own mess. Our bill would ensure oil and gas companies pay to clean up the wells they abandon."

Until 2024, oil and gas fiscal assurance requirements were minimal, leading companies to abandon wells instead of remediating the land after drilling. Then, the Biden Administration instituted new rules requiring oil and gas companies to institute measures to avoid wasteful practices and find and fix leaks. The Trump Administration is now rolling back these essential protections for public lands and American taxpayers. Nationwide, there are currently over 140,000 documented orphaned wells, including more than 15,000 on federal lands, and hundreds of thousands more that may be orphaned. Additionally, the number of documented orphaned wells in the United States has more than doubled since 2020. These sites are not only a significant liability for taxpayers and a growing threat to water resources, air quality, wildlife habitat, and private lands, but also jeopardize public health, ecosystems, grazing lands, outdoor recreation sites, and cultural resources that are at high risk from contamination.

In California alone, there are over 5,000 orphaned wells with another 69,000 on the verge of being orphaned. It would cost between $220,000 to $900,000 to plug and abandon a single well with the total cost of cleanup being roughly $21.5 billion. Due to new leasing policies enacted by Congress in 2025, executive orders to increase federal oil and gas drilling, and the financial assurance rollback, industry is likely to drill as many as 3.8 million wells on national public lands in the coming years, and to then pass as much as $753 billion in potential financial liabilities back onto local communities and taxpayers.

This legislation is endorsed by 20 organizations including Earthjustice Action, Colorado Fiscal Institute, Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, Conservation Colorado, Montana Wildlife Federation, National Parks Conservation Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, Nevada Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Public Land Solutions, Rocky Mountain Wild, San Juan Citizen's Alliance, Sierra Club, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Trout Unlimited, Western Colorado Alliance, Western Organization of Resource Councils, Western Resilience Center, Wild Montana, Wilderness Workshop, and The Wilderness Society.

"In La Plata County, orphaned wells are a nuisance for property owners and a danger for people and animals alike. This bill builds on Colorado's innovative work to ensure that federal regulation protects our communities, livestock, and wildlife - and prevents this public health issue from happening in the first place," said Marsha Porter-Norton, La Plata County Commissioner.

"The Board of County Commissioners strongly supports Senator Bennet's Stop Orphaned Wells Act. When a well is abandoned, local communities must shoulder the risks to their health, environment, and taxpayer dollars. This legislation provides the accountability needed to ensure oil and gas companies, not our community, pay to restore the lands they use," said Jody Shadduck-McNally, Larimer County Commissioner and Chair of the Board of County Commissioners.

"Adams County is glad to see Senator Bennet leading the charge on this significant bipartisan issue, as it is of critical importance to our communities. Our county has the second highest number of orphaned wells in the state; taking action to preserve the health and safety of both our residents and our environment is a top priority for our Board. We look forward to working with the Senator in honing this legislation to be as helpful and effective as possible," said Commissioner Julie Duran Mullica, Chair of the Adams County Board of Commissioners.

"Like countless places across the country, San Miguel County has been forced to clean up after reckless operators. Orphaned wells are not only an unfair burden on our taxpayers but also a dangerous polluter of our beloved natural resources and public lands. Senator Bennet's bill takes long-overdue actions to strengthen regulations and hold irresponsible companies accountable," said Galena Gleason, San Miguel County Commissioner.

"The Stop Orphaned Wells Act is urgently needed in Western Colorado, where orphaned, non-producing wells irresponsibly emit harmful methane gas and harm our health, air and water quality, and critical wildlife habitat. This Act will finally make producers responsible for properly closing, remediating, and reclaiming lands after they stop producing oil and gas," said Lynn Padgett, Ouray County Commissioner.

Full text of the bill is available here.

A summary of the bill is available here.

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