[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4877 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4877

   To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the Secretary of 
Energy to carry out a research, development, and demonstration program 
        with respect to abandoned wells, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 25, 2023

  Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania (for herself, Mrs. Bice, Ms. Ross, and Ms. 
   Stevens) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to direct the Secretary of 
Energy to carry out a research, development, and demonstration program 
        with respect to abandoned wells, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Abandoned Well Remediation Research 
and Development Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005.

    (a) In General.--The Energy Policy Act of 2005 is amended--
            (1) by adding at the end of subtitle F of title IX (42 
        U.S.C. 16291 et seq.) the following new section:

``SEC. 969E. ABANDONED WELLS RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION 
              PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Energy shall, in 
coordination with relevant Federal and state agencies and entities, 
establish a research, development, and demonstration program to 
improve--
            ``(1) data collection on the location of abandoned wells;
            ``(2) the plugging, remediation, reclamation, and 
        repurposing of abandoned wells; and
            ``(3) strategies to mitigate potential environmental 
        impacts of documented and undocumented abandoned wells.
    ``(b) Activities.--The research, development, and demonstration 
under subsection (a) shall include activities to improve--
            ``(1) remote sensor capabilities, LiDAR capabilities, 
        optical gas imaging, magnetic survey technology, and any other 
        technologies relevant to the efficient identification of 
        abandoned wells;
            ``(2) understanding of how certain parameters of abandoned 
        wells affect methane emission rates of such wells, including 
        paramaters such as well age, well depth, geology, construction, 
        case material, and geographic region;
            ``(3) the efficiency and cost-efficacy of processes for 
        plugging, remediating, reclaiming, and repurposing abandoned 
        wells, including--
                    ``(A) improvement of processes and technologies for 
                the unique challenges associated with plugging remote 
                abandoned wells;
                    ``(B) use of low carbon, lightweight cement or use 
                of alternative materials and additives for plugging 
                purposes; and
                    ``(C) repurposing of abandoned wells for 
                alternative uses, including geothermal power production 
                or carbon capture, utilization, and storage; and
            ``(4) understanding of the impacts of abandoned wells on 
        groundwater quality and contamination.
    ``(c) Coordination.--In carrying out the program established in 
(a), the Secretary shall ensure coordination of these activities with 
institutions of higher education, the Department of Energy National 
Laboratories, and the private sector.
    ``(d) Abandoned Well Defined.--In this section, the term `abandoned 
well' means a well originally drilled in connection with oil and gas 
operations that is not being used, has not been plugged, and has no 
anticipated use in oil and gas operations.
    ``(e) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary to carry out this section amounts authorized pursuant to 
section 10771 of subtitle O of title VI of the Research and 
Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as division B of 
Public Law 117-167), as follows:
            ``(1) For fiscal year 2024, $30,000,000.
            ``(2) For fiscal year 2025, $31,250,000.
            ``(3) For fiscal year 2026, $32,500,000.
            ``(4) For fiscal year 2027, $33,750,000.
            ``(5) For fiscal year 2028, $35,000,000.
    ``(f) Sunset.--This section shall terminate five years after the 
date of the enactment of this section.''; and
            (2) in the table of contents in section 1(b) (42 U.S.C. 
        15801 note), by inserting after the matter relating to section 
        969D the following new item:

``Sec. 969E. Abandoned wells research, development, and demonstration 
                            program.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Paragraph (6) of section 10771 of 
subtitle O of title VI of the Research and Development, Competition, 
and Innovation Act (enacted as division B of Public Law 117-167) is 
amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
        ``2026'' and inserting ``2028'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``$600,000,000'' and 
        inserting ``$507,500,000'';
            (3) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (4) in subparagraph (C)--
                    (A) by striking ``$1,000,000,000'' and inserting 
                ``$930,000,000''; and
                    (B) by striking the period and inserting ``; and''; 
                and
            (5) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(D) $162,500,000 to carry out abandoned wells 
                research, development, and demonstration activities 
                under section 969E of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, in 
                accordance with such section.''.
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