Energy community revitalization program: bipartisan infrastructure law (BIL) SEC. 40601(c)(5) orphaned well state performance matching grant program award purpose: funding through the program may be…

The U.S. Department of the Interior awarded the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) a Project Grant of $3.3 million under the Energy Community Revitalization Program (ECRP, CFDA 15.018) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. This performance matching grant authorizes WVDEP to plug, remediate, and reclaim orphaned oil and gas wells on state and private lands within West Virginia's boundaries, with funding also supporting soil and habitat restoration in degraded areas, decommissioning and removal of associated pipelines and infrastructure, and characterization of undocumented orphaned wells.

WVDEP will deliver comprehensive environmental remediation services including detailed cost accounting for each plugged well site, methane and gas emission tracking, monitoring of groundwater and surface water contamination, ranking of orphaned wells based on public health and safety risks, and identification of adverse human health or environmental effects on local communities. The grant also supports establishment of well-plugging capacity within the state where capacity gaps exist. These activities directly address the legacy environmental impacts of abandoned oil and gas operations and align with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's mandate to remediate orphaned wells and restore affected lands.

Activities

This grant funds the west virginia department of environmental protection to perform the following activities: plug, remediate, or reclaim orphaned wells on state and private lands remediate soil and restore habitat that has been due to the presence of orphaned wells or associated pipelines, facilities, or infrastructure on state and private lands remediate state and private lands adjacent to orphaned wells and decommission or remove associated pipelines, facilities, and infrastructure provide an accounting of the cost of plugging, remediation, and reclamation for each orphaned well site on state and or private lands within the state identify and characterize undocumented orphaned wells on state and private land rank orphaned wells based on factors including public health and safety, potential environmental harm, and other land use priorities identify and address adverse human health or environmental effects on local communities measure and track methane emissions and other gases as well as contamination of groundwater and surface water and develop or administer a program to carry out any activities described in this section. Activities funded by this grant must comply with the uniform guidance for grants and agreements (2 CFR 200), build america buy america, davis-bacon act, and BIL, and include all costs necessary to conduct and manage the approved project, such as equipment and contracted services. Expected deliverables or outcomes: 1.decrease the amount of methane emissions from orphaned wells. 2.enhance the protection of public health, safety, and property from adverse effects of oil drilling practices from orphaned wells on states and private lands. 3.plug, remediate, or reclaim orphaned wells on state and private lands.4.restore land and water resources, the environment, and property from oil drilling activities, facilities, and associated pipelines from orphaned wells on state and private lands.5.remediate and restore land and water resources and the environment previously degraded by the adverse effects of oil and gas production and drilling, including measures for the conservation and development of soil, water, woodland, fish and wildlife, recreation resources, and agricultural productivity.

Intended beneficiaries

The general public benefits directly and indirectly from the proposed project that addresses long overdue infrastructure and environmental improvements to strengthen our resilience to the changing climate and mitigate the effects of legacy pollution. This investment in state programs across the country will grow the economy sustainably and equitably for decades to come. Information and data collected by this project will be made available as applicable. The general public will benefit by removing hazardous legacy facilities, including in disproportionately impacted communities where work will be prioritized.subrecipient activities (if known or specified at time of award): n a