Project Grant D22AP00229

THE MISSISSIPPI OIL AND GAS BOARD MSOGB IS APPLYING FOR THE SMALL SCALE INITIAL GRANT UP TO 5 MILLION OPPORTUNITY PROVIDED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR DOI WITH THE PURPOSE OF PLUGGING, REMEDIATING AFFECTED ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, AND RECLAMATION OF ORPHANED WELL SITES BY DOING SO, THE STATE WILL BE WORKING TOWARDS THE GOAL OF ADDRESSING THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION WHILE IMPROVING CONDITIONS FOR RESIDENTS OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI UTILIZATION OF THIS FUNDING WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM THAT IMPROVES UPON THE EXISTING STATE ORPHAN ELL PROGRAM THROUGH IDENTIFICATION OF UNDOCUMENTED ORPHAN WELLS, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF PREVIOUSLY PLUGGEDAND ABANDONED WELLS, PLUGGING AND RESTORING ORPHANED WELL SITES, AND TRACKING THE REDUCTION OF METHANE EMISSIONS, SOIL IMPACTS, AND GROUND AND SURFACE WATER IMPACTS MUCH OF THE RECORDS OF ORPHANED WELLS AND PRIOR EFFORTS MADE TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL OR PUBLIC IMPACT BY THESE WELLS ARE HELD IN PAPER FILES A PORTION OF THE FUNDING WILL BE PASSED THROUGH CONTRACTUAL MECHANISMS TO DIGITIZE THESE RECORDS AND PROVIDE A MORE VISIBLE DATABASE TO THE PUBLIC ADDITIONAL FUNDS WILL BE CONTRACTED OUT TO INITIATE A PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN TO ALLOW ANYONE IN THE STATE TO REPORT ON POTENTIALLY ORPHANED WELLS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY ANOTHER PORTION OF THESE FUNDS WILL BE CONTRACTED OUT TO COMPLETE AERIAL SURVEYS THAT WILL IDENTIFY UNDOCUMENTED ORPHANED WELLS THAT POSE A THREAT TO THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT MAY POSE A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN OF ADVERSE HUMAN HEALTH OR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ORPHANED WELLS ON DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES, AND TRIBAL AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES THERE ARE OVER 12,750 WELLS IN THE STATE THAT WERE PLUGGED AND ABANDONED PRIOR TO 1995 NEARLY 7500 OF THOSE WERE PLUGGED PRIOR TO 1975 A PORTION OF THESE FUNDS WILL BE PASSED THROUGH CONTRACTUAL MECHANISMS TO AUDIT PREVIOUSLY PLUGGED AND ABANDONED WELLS WITH NO ACTIVE OPERATOR GROUNDWATER, SURFACE WATER, SOIL, AND METHANE EMISSIONS AROUND THESE SITES WILL BE ASSESSED TO IDENTIFY ANY POTENTIAL THREATS TO THE ENVIRONMENT OR THE PUBLIC THAT THESE OLD WELLS MAY POSE THESE DATA COLLECTED IN THIS PORTION OF THIS PROJECT WILL ENSURE THE STATE RECEIVES FUTURE FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE IDENTIFIED THREATS TO HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH THOUGH CONTRACTUAL MECHANISMS, 49 SITES THAT ARE READY TO BEGIN PLUGGING OPERATIONS, EQUIPMENT REMOVAL, SITE REMEDIATION, AND RESTORATION WILL BE FULLY REMEDIATED AND RESTORED METHANE EMISSIONS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS WILL BE ASSESSED PRIOR TO AND FOLLOWING THE RESTORATION OF THESE SITES THIS DATA WILL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AS WELL AS FEDERALLY REPORTED AS REQUIRED TO SHOW THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDIATION NARRATIVE PROGRESS REPORTS OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THIS PROGRAM WILL BE PROVIDED ON A QUARTERLY BASIS TO REPORT ON THE NUMBER OF SITES ADDRESSED, THE REDUCTION OF EMISSIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, AND IDENTIFIED ORPHANED WELLS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY UNDOCUMENTED FINANCIAL EXPENDITURES WILL BE REPORTED QUARTERLY AS WELL TO PROVIDE VISIBILITY TO THE USE OF THESE FEDERAL FUNDS AN ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE DETAILING THE NUMBER OF WELLS RECLAIMED, THE AMOUNT OF INFRASTRUCTURE REMOVED, ACRES RESTORED, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE SERVED IN REDUCING ORPHAN WELL IMPACTS