Kentucky to receive $104 million to cleanup abandoned oil and gas wells
FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – The U.S. Department of Interior will provide Kentucky with nearly $104 million to clean up abandoned oil and gas wells, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced on Wednesday.
The state will receive $103,981,000 for the effort, which comes from last year’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provides federal investment for improvements to Kentucky’s roads, highways, railroads, airports, broadband, and more.
Kentucky has more than 14,000 orphaned well sites which is some of the most in the United States, and accounts for nearly 18% of the national total. Orphaned wells create no economic output, can pollute outdoor areas, and create an environmental hazard for nearby communities. The cleanup activities funded by this announcement is expected to help improve air and water quality, as well as increase nearby property values, all while creating Kentucky jobs.