FINLEYVILLE, PA — Pennsylvania has plugged 500 orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells under Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration, advancing a federally funded cleanup program targeting methane emissions, groundwater risks and environmental hazards left by decades of energy production.
Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Jessica Shirley marked the milestone Wednesday, Oct. 21, following the completion of an emergency plugging project in Somerset Township, Washington County.
The 500th well had been leaking significant quantities of gas into the ground and atmosphere in a residential neighborhood before crews located and sealed it, according to the governor’s office.
Washington County-based M&A Resources completed the project under an emergency contract, working with DEP, the Environmental Defense Fund and McGill University.
The milestone reflects an acceleration in Pennsylvania’s efforts to address abandoned energy infrastructure. The administration reports that more wells have been plugged during Shapiro’s tenure than in the preceding 12 years combined.
Despite that progress, the scale of the remaining work is substantial.
DEP has identified more than 27,000 orphaned and abandoned wells statewide, many of which pose potential environmental and safety risks. The agency prioritizes plugging projects based on threats to public health, groundwater, and surrounding communities.
Abandoned wells can release methane, a potent greenhouse gas, while creating pathways for groundwater contamination and other hazards. Unsealed wells can also complicate land redevelopment and restrict future property uses.
“I’ve spoken to the families and communities most affected by these leaking wells who are concerned about their water or the quality of the air near their homes – especially here in Western Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said.
The governor described well plugging as a public health measure that also supports employment among Pennsylvania contractors.
The cleanup program has received substantial federal financial support.
Since 2022, the U.S. Department of the Interior has provided Pennsylvania with $216 million through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to plug, remediate, and reclaim orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells.
The state’s 2026-27 budget also authorizes a one-time $19 million transfer to the Well Plugging Program, providing additional resources for addressing abandoned wells.
A separate $20 million transfer supports the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program, which addresses contaminated properties and toxic waste sites across Pennsylvania.
DEP is also expanding its efforts to evaluate the environmental and public health risks associated with abandoned wells.
The agency is partnering with Penn State University on a study that will identify and quantify chemical hazards, characterize wells according to emissions and risk, assess potential human exposure and develop recommendations for prioritizing future plugging projects.
The research is scheduled to begin in October 2026 and conclude no later than June 30, 2031.
Funding will come from the second phase of federal formula grants administered through the Interior Department’s Orphaned Wells Program Office.
The study could help DEP allocate cleanup resources toward wells presenting the greatest environmental and public health threats.
“By maximizing every available state and federal funding source, DEP is shrinking Pennsylvania’s inventory of orphan and abandoned wells, creating jobs, reducing methane emissions, and helping communities reclaim land that has been impacted for generations,” Shirley said.
The Washington County project also illustrates the role of private contractors in Pennsylvania’s expanding well-plugging operations.
M&A Resources Chief Executive Officer Jerome Bettis credited the company’s employees and its partnership with DEP for completing the work.
“We’re committed to continuing to grow, creating opportunities for Pennsylvania workers and doing our part to keep this important work moving forward across the Commonwealth,” Bettis said.
The Environmental Defense Fund, which participated in the project, emphasized that the milestone represents only a fraction of the cleanup work still required.
“This is a multi-generational project that will directly help other families who live in close proximity to orphaned and abandoned wells throughout the Commonwealth and the United States,” said Adam Peltz, the organization’s director and senior attorney.
Pennsylvania’s efforts are part of a broader national program addressing the environmental consequences of historic oil and gas production.
The governor’s office also cited Shapiro’s February 2025 lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s freeze of federal funding, saying subsequent legal action and negotiations helped preserve access to federal resources.
According to the administration, more than $2.1 billion in federal funding is available for continued abandoned-well plugging and related environmental protection efforts. The release did not identify that figure as funding awarded exclusively to Pennsylvania.
With more than 27,000 abandoned wells already identified, the state’s next phase of work will depend on continued funding, risk assessments, and the capacity of contractors to locate and seal hazardous wells.
DEP encourages residents who know of undocumented abandoned or orphaned wells to report their locations through the agency’s website.
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