Idled Wells Pose Serious Risks to Wildlife, Recreation, Communities

DENVER - A new report details the serious and ongoing threats that idled oil and gas wells pose for wildlife, clean air and water, recreation, and rural communities. "A Growing Risk on Public Lands" examines the threats in five Western states: Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. The report was released by National Wildlife Federation, Public Land Solutions, and the Western Organization of Resource Councils.

"Idled and abandoned wells on public lands across the West pose real risks to the wildlife and landscapes that hunters, anglers, and rural communities depend on," said Aaron Kindle, director of sporting advocacy for the National Wildlife Federation. "This report shows that many of these wells are located in the heart of big game habitat and near recreation areas, wildlife refuges, and national forests. It's high time that oil and gas companies-not taxpayers-are held responsible for cleaning up these wells so that our public lands and wildlife can thrive for future generations."

"This report underscores the urgent need to confront the growing problem of idled and orphaned wells on public lands," said Jason Keith, managing director of Public Land Solutions. "These neglected sites threaten the natural resources and scenic landscapes that sustain the West's outdoor recreation economy. Addressing this challenge is not only an environmental priority-it is essential to protecting rural livelihoods and ensuring the long-term vitality of communities that depend on healthy public lands."

"Even in a state so economically tied to fossil fuels as Wyoming is, 94-percent of its residents believe that oil and gas companies should have to pay the costs of cleaning up the toxic messes they leave behind on public and split-estate lands, just like coal companies have had to do since 1977," said Bob LeResche, board member of the Powder River Basin Resource Council and owner of a ranch with split-estate in Clearmont, Wyoming. "Honestly, what could be more obscene to taxpayers than allowing these companies to make a killing from publicly-owned minerals and then leave the public holding the bag for the clean-up costs while their toxic messes pollute the land and waters that ranchers, farmers, hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreation businesses depend on?"

Here are some highlights from the report:

• The number of documented orphaned wells in U.S. has more than doubled since 2020

• There are 16,000 identified orphaned wells on public and split-estate lands

• In addition, there are 7,702 idled wells, which are at significant risk of soon becoming orphaned

• 1,616 idled wells are in big game habitat

• 4,150 idled wells are in sage grouse habitat

• 2,492 idled wells are under private surface lands nationwide

• 2,411 idled wells are within one mile of hunting and recreation areas nationwide