Luján, Heinrich Announce $5.5 Million to Address Orphaned Wells in New Mexico

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced a $5.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Interior for New Mexico to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells. This investment to address hazardous sites will create good-paying union jobs, boost economic growth, and help protect public health and the environment from harmful methane leaks.

New Mexico will use its $5.5 million award to plug up to 10 orphaned wells on state-owned or privately owned lands and remove and dispose of associated surface infrastructure. New Mexico will also perform site characterization and remediation at an estimated two well sites and perform surface restoration at up to 50 plugged well sites.

Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by the Senators, the administration is delivering the largest investment in tackling legacy pollution in American history, including $4.7 billion to plug orphaned wells. Plugging is underway nationwide, and since the law's enactment, states have already plugged nearly 9,500 orphaned wells.  The funding is made possible through the Revive Economic Growth and Reclaim Orphaned Wells (REGROW) Act led by Senators Luján and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and co-sponsored by Senator Heinrich.

"I'm proud to announce $5.5 million from the Department of Interior for New Mexico to address orphaned oil and gas wells that pose public health and safety risks for New Mexicans. Through the legislation that I championed into law, nearly 9,500 orphaned wells have been cleaned up across America and in New Mexico," said Luján. "This law is making a real difference across the country - creating new, good-paying jobs and safeguarding the environment."

"I'm pleased to welcome $5.5 million from our Infrastructure Law to plug and clean up orphan wells across New Mexico. This investment will put skilled laborers to work to protect the health of our communities. This is a win for our environment and public health," said Heinrich.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $1.5 billion for state performance grants, which fall into two sub-categories: matching grants and regulatory improvement grants. Today's award for New Mexico is a matching grant.

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