[Note: The milestone was achieved as a result of a major influx of federal funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.
[Since January 1, 2023, DEP has issued 1,426 violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for continuing to abandon and not plug their wells leaving that cost to taxpayers. ]
The Shapiro Administration has surpassed the number of wells plugged in the previous decade in just two years – the latest historic milestone to protect public health and create jobs by aggressively plugging these wells all across Western Pennsylvania.
The 300th well was plugged in North Franklin Township, Washington County under an emergency contract with Penn Mechanical Group, a family-owned and operated company located in Indiana, PA.
The well – which is leaking methane – sits between two reservoirs on the site of the township’s future Waterside Park, an 89-acre park to connect residents to greenspaces, outdoor recreation, environmental education, and serve as a community hub.
“When I took office, I directed the Department of Environmental Protection to move aggressively to draw down state and federal funding to make a meaningful impact plugging orphaned and abandoned wells. Today, I’m proud to announce that this well will be the 300th well plugged during my time as Governor,” said Gov. Josh Shapiro. “By plugging orphaned and abandoned wells, we’re tackling a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and creating thousands of good-paying jobs in the process. This is a smart, commonsense way to protect public health and create jobs – and I’m going to continue to work with DEP to put state and federal funding to good use by plugging these wells that create problems across rural Pennsylvania.”
“These wells dot the Western Pennsylvania landscape, posing hazards for residents and the environment and hampering all manner of development, including what will become a local and regional recreational amenity here in North Franklin Township,” said DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “By maximizing every funding source available to DEP through state funding and federal programs like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we can ensure that Pennsylvania’s inventory of orphaned and abandoned wells continues to shrink, while creating jobs and protecting the environment in the process.”
“With the efforts of Gov. Shapiro, his administration, and DEP, we have been able to get non-producing wells plugged prior to them becoming an environmental concern,” said Bryan Treese, Operations Manager for Penn Mechanical Group. “These feats could not be achieved without a good working relationship.”
The Shapiro Administration is committed to plugging as many wells as possible in the shortest possible time.
That’s why Gov. Shapiro has proposed and secured state funding for DEP’s Office of Oil and Gas Management in his budget proposals.
Last year, in the bipartisan 2024-25 budget, Gov. Shapiro secured an additional $11 million in state funding to support DEP’s work of finding and plugging abandoned wells.
This year, in his 2025-26 budget proposal, Governor Shapiro has proposed a $13 million increase in state funding.
[Note: The taxpayer funding secured by Gov. Shapiro pays for staff and operational costs of the Oil and Gas Program because revenue is no longer sufficient from permit application fees paid by the industry to support the program. Read more here.]
Federal Funding
Gov. Shapiro has also directed DEP to leverage all available federal funds for this effort.
In October 2022, DEP’s well plugging work was supercharged by the award of $25 million under an Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Initial Grant through the US Department of the Interior (DOI).
In September 2024, DEP received an additional $76.4 million from DOI under a Phase 1 Formula Grant award to continue well plugging efforts.
DEP has applied for another $114 million under a Phase 2 Formula Grant and is eligible to receive $114 million more through a Phase 3 Formula Grant.
In February, Gov. Shapiro filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional freeze of federal funding, and thanks to the Governor’s lawsuit and continued engagement with the Trump Administration, this funding is currently accessible to DEP.
Funding from IIJA has also allowed Pennsylvania to create the first of its kind in the nation Orphan Well Plugging Grant Program (OWPGP), which provides a potential funding mechanism for any person, for-profit or non-profit business, local government, or institution with access to a qualified well plugger to apply for a reimbursement grant to plug and remediate orphan wells.
This program provides opportunities for property owners with unwanted or unused wells on their property to receive an assistance grant to plug relatively less complex orphan wells, while DEP focuses efforts on tackling higher priority and more difficult orphan well plugging projects.
DEP has identified over 27,000 orphan and abandoned wells and is prioritizing those posing the highest risks.
[Note: DEP says there may be as many as 250,000 abandoned conventional wells, no one knows for sure.]
New plugging contracts will focus on these high-priority wells, along with nearby wells, to maximize efficiency and preempt environmental threats.
Pennsylvania's long history of energy development dates to 1859, when the first commercial oil well was drilled in Titusville.
More information about the orphan and abandoned well plugging program is available on DEP’s website: Rewriting Pennsylvania’s Legacy.
Click Here for a copy of the Governor’s announcement.
New Technology Finds More Abandoned Wells
Also participating in the announcement was Joe Bonfiglio, Executive Director of the US Region for the Environmental Defense Fund.
He described the project EDF along with Moms Clean Air Force and DEP undertook last November to test new methods of locating abandoned conventional wells in Clairon, McKean and Venango counties that could cause environmental problems. Read more here.
“[The] Environmental Defense Fund has partnered with Pennsylvania DEP, universities around the Commonwealth, and that incredible environmental advocacy organization, Moms Clean Air Force to advance a project to pilot new technologies, to find old [oil and gas] wells not in current databases.
“So just last fall, we flew drones with sensors in Clarion and McKean counties and found more than 250 potential wells not on any databases.
“And just last week, DEP inspectors tested our work and confirmed that four of them were now on the list to be plugged.
“We're encouraged by these results, but we need to keep working further and harder to find ways to scale this effort.
“Now, Pennsylvania can continue to lead and achieve its climate goals by addressing the state's methane pollution from abandoned wells, while also ensuring that today's active wells don't become tomorrow's orphans.
“Policies like limiting carbon pollution from the state power sector, developing a durable plan to implement EPA standards on methane, and in getting hydrogen policy right, are all ways that the state can make progress towards a cleaner future.
“Now, Gov. Shapiro has demonstrated that a strong economy does not mean compromising clean air and clean water.
“Efforts to curb pollution from the oil and gas industry are creating jobs and economic opportunity.
“A recent report showed that the number of methane mitigation companies are creating jobs here, and that number of companies grew 22% in just three years.
“EDF applauds the Shapiro administration as it charts a course to grow a clean economy, cut pollution, and strengthen both families and communities right here in Pennsylvania.”
[Note: On March 12, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced it is pulling back its regulation to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas operations after this event. Read more here.]
Wells Continue To Be Abandoned
There has been no slowdown in the number of conventional oil and gas wells owners continue to abandon in Pennsylvania-- it is the most frequent violation issued to conventional well owners.
In 2024, DEP issued 860 new or continued violations to conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells.
In 2023, DEP issued 512 violations to conventional well owners for abandonment.
So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 54 violations to 31 conventional oil and gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells. Read more here.
In a new development, the number of unconventional, shale gas wells being abandoned by their owners is starting to increase, particularly those drilled in the early days of shale gas development..
Twelve shale gas well owners were issued 47 violations for abandoning and not plugging their wells in 2024.
In 2023, DEP issued or continued 20 violations to 10 shale gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells. Read more here.
So far in 2025, DEP issued or continued 32 violations to 8 shale gas drilling companies for abandoning and not plugging their wells. Read more here.
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 15 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Water Quality Permits, 401 Certification For National Fuel Gas Tioga Pathway Natural Gas Pipeline Project In McKean, Potter, Tioga Counties [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 103 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 15 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- PA American Water Identifies Water Source For New Public Water System To Replace Water Wells Contaminated By Shale Gas Fracking 20 Years Ago In Dimock Twp., Susquehanna County [PaEN]
-- Community Speaks Out Against Expansion Of Harmon Creek Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County [PaEN]
-- Washington County Resident To DEP: Harmon Creek Natural Gas Plant Expansion Will Result In A Huge Increase In Air Pollution, It Should Be Required To Have A Major Air Quality Permit, It Is Not A ‘Minor’ Source [PaEN]
-- Moms Clean Air Force To DEP: Families In Washington County Are Already Living In The Middle Of Major Natural Gas Industrial Sites - Do Not Expand The Harmon Creek Natural Gas Processing Plant And Make It Worse [PaEN]
-- PA Shale Gas & Public Health Conference Attended By Nearly 480 People Featured Health Experts, Scientists, Advocacy Groups On Health, Environmental Impacts Of Shale Gas Development [PaEN]
-- Republican Herald Editorial: One-Sided Discussions On Issues Don’t Promote True Progress, EPA Visit Was Not A 'Roundtable Discussion,' But A 'Rally' For Natural Gas In Delaware River Basin [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Marks Milestone Of Plugging 300 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Over 2 Years; New Technology Finding More Abandoned Wells [PaEN]
-- The Derrick: FrenchCreek Twp., Venango County Commissioner Said They Were Not Aware Of NOVA Cryptocurrency Data Mining Operation Using Natural Gas Well Until It Started [They Did Receive Act 14 Notices] [PDF of Article]
-- PA Council Of Trout Unlimited: Millions In Trout Unlimited Watershed Projects Improve The Environment, Local Economies Across The US; Federal Funding Freeze, Office Closures, Staff Cuts 'Sacrificing Our National Conservation Legacy' [PaEN]
-- Pocono Record - Brian Whipkey: Trout Unlimited Officials Worry Over Potential Impacts From Reduced Federal Funding In PA [PDF of Article]
-- Gov. Shapiro Launches Legislative Push for 'Lightning Plan’ To Build More Energy Projects, Speed Up Permitting, Lower Costs, Create Jobs For Pennsylvanians [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Geothermal Might Have The Answer For Pennsylvania's Clean Energy Needs - By John Walliser, PA Environmental Council & Kevin Sunday, McNees Wallace & Nurick [PaEN]
-- EPA Pulls Back Regulations Setting Methane Emission Limits, Regulating Wastewater From Oil & Gas Operations, Risk Management Rule At Petrochemical Plants [PaEN]
-- EPA Launches Biggest Deregulation Action For Industry In US History, 'Driving A Dagger Straight Into The Heart Of The Climate Change Religion,’ Unleashing The American Energy Industry [PaEN]
-- Clean Air Council: EPA To Reverse Life-Saving Finding Carbon Pollution Is Endangering Public Health By Driving Climate Change [PaEN]
-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: EPA Deregulation Bombshell A Blow To The Chesapeake Bay [PaEN]
-- Evangelical Environmental Network: EPA Announces Plan To Put Pollution Before Our Health [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Scranton Times: PA American To Provide Clean Drinking Water In Dimock To Replace Fracking-Contaminated Private Wells [PDF of Article]
-- WVIA: PA American Water: Dimock Twp. Residents Will Have Drinkable Water By 2026
-- Community Speaks Out Against Expansion Of Harmon Creek Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County [PaEN]
-- Post-Gazette: Chester, Delaware County Leading The Fight For Environmental Justice [LNG Export Facility]
-- Courier Times: PA State Attorney General Investigates Potential Environmental Crimes Amid Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leak In Bucks County
-- Marcellus Drilling News: New Federal Administration Considers Strategies To Overturn Delaware River Basin Commission Fracking Ban [PDF of Article]
-- The Allegheny Front - Kara Holsopple: New Tool Help Beaver County Residents Evaluate Air Quality
-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Philadelphia Gas Works Decaying Infrastructure A Ticking time Bomb Beneath Our Streets - POWER Interfaith Climate Justice And Jobs Team
-- Frederick News-Post: FEMA Cancels In-Person, Most Virtual National Fire Academy Training For First Responders In Emmitsburg, MD, Disrupting Training
-- York Daily Record: DOGE Closure Of National Fire Academy In Emmitsburg, MD Alarms York County Fire Chiefs
-- Erie Times/Reuters: EPA To Roll Back Regulations On Power Plant Emissions, Tailpipe Pollution
-- Utility Dive: EPA Aims To Roll Back Power Sector Regulations In Broad Deregulatory Push
-- Post-Gazette Editorial: As Washington Unwinds Its Commitments, State And Local Governments Will Have To Step Up
-- Observer- Reporter: Project Aims To Increase Geothermal Energy Use In State [PDF of Article]
-- Pocono Record - Brian Whipkey: Trout Unlimited Officials Worry Over Potential Impacts From Reduced Federal Funding In PA [PDF of Article]
-- Marcellus Drilling News: Anti-Drilling Trout Unlimited Crying Over $180 Million In Frozen Federal Funds [PDF of Article]
-- Marcellus Drilling News: NYMEX Natural Gas Price Hits 2-Year High Of $4.491/MMBtu [PDF of Article]
-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: America Needs The Energy Pennsylvania Can Supply - By American Petroleum Institute
-- Financial Times: US DOE Secretary Says US Shale Can ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ At Low Oil, Gas Prices; Industry Says No
-- Reuters: President’s Tariffs On Steel, Aluminum To Raise Costs For US Oil, Gas Firms, Experts Say
[Posted: March 12, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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