<
https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/biden-harris-administration-invests-660-million-states-plug-orphaned-oil-and-gas-wells>
"OLATHE, Kan. – Following a community roundtable discussion and site visits
with Rep. Sharice Davids today, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced
the availability of nearly $660 million in grant funding to clean up legacy
pollution through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. These historic
resources to clean up hazardous sites will create good-paying jobs, catalyze
economic growth and revitalization, reduce harmful methane leaks – which is one
of the major drivers of the climate crisis – and reduce environmental and
public health risks to surface water and groundwater resources critical to U.S.
communities and ecosystems.
Kansas is one of 26 states that are eligible to apply for this funding. The
state received $25 million in initial funding, with which the Kansas
Corporation Commission is plugging more than 2,000 abandoned wells over the
next three years. With today’s announcement, Kansas is eligible for another $25
million.
“Bidenomics and President Biden’s Investing in America agenda are enabling us
to confront long-standing environmental injustices by making a historic
investment to plug orphaned wells throughout the country,” said Secretary Deb
Haaland. “These investments are good for our climate, for the health of our
communities, and for American workers. With this additional funding, states
will put more people to work to clean up these toxic sites, reduce methane
emissions and safeguard our environment.”
Millions of Americans live within a mile of an orphaned oil and gas well.
Orphaned wells are polluting backyards, recreation areas, farmland, and public
spaces in urban, rural and suburban areas. Methane leaking from many of these
unplugged wells is a serious safety hazard and is a significant cause of
climate change.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering the largest investment in
tackling legacy pollution in American history, including through a $4.7 billion
investment to plug orphaned wells. The $660 million being announced today comes
from the $2 billion in formula grants to be provided to states over the coming
years.
Plugging orphaned wells advances the goals of the Biden-Harris Administration’s
Methane Action Plan, as well as the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power
Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization, which focuses on spurring
economic revitalization in hard-hit energy communities. The program is also
part of the Justice40 Initiative, which is advancing environmental justice by
ensuring that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments
reach disadvantaged communities that are marginalized and overburdened by
pollution and underinvestment."
Via
Future Crunch:
<
https://futurecrunch.com/good-news-trachoma-human-rights-mexico-river-madrid-spain/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
