[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 171 (Thursday, October 1, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H5439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ABANDONED WELLS MUST BE PLUGGED

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, last week, I introduced 
H.R. 8332, the Plugging Orphan Wells and Environmental Restoration Act, 
or the POWER Act. This bill would authorize the Federal orphan well 
remediation program under the Energy Policy of 2005 for 5 years at $50 
million per year.
  The POWER Act would also establish a grant program for environmental 
restoration and reclamation of orphaned wells on State as well as 
private and Tribal lands, authorized at $400 million per year for 5 
years.
  It is estimated that Pennsylvania has more orphaned wells than any 
other State. Pennsylvania is the birthplace of the modern petroleum 
industry, and the Commonwealth's oil and gas industry has helped lead 
America to energy independence.
  We have both an economic and environmental responsibility to ensure 
abandoned wells are plugged, and the POWER Act would ensure these 
legacy sites are appropriately handled to protect the environment, 
while also stimulating jobs in the oil and gas sector. This will be a 
win-win for America and a win-win, certainly, for Pennsylvania.
  I thank Guy Reschenthaler, my colleague from Pennsylvania, for 
joining me on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support oil 
and gas well remediation through the POWER Act.

                          ____________________