IMPERIAL, PA — Pennsylvania has plugged 400 orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells under Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration, marking a milestone in a cleanup effort that state officials say is accelerating with the help of federal infrastructure funding and aimed at reducing environmental and public health risks.
State officials marked the achievement Wednesday at a well site in North Fayette Township, where crews recently sealed a methane-leaking well located in a residential neighborhood less than a mile from West Allegheny Middle School and West Allegheny High School.
The milestone highlights the scale of Pennsylvania’s orphaned well challenge and the growing investment directed toward addressing it. The Department of Environmental Protection said it has plugged more wells during the past three years than were plugged statewide during the previous 11 years combined.
Orphaned and abandoned wells can leak methane, contaminate groundwater, create safety hazards and limit future development opportunities. State officials have made well-plugging a priority as Pennsylvania seeks to reduce emissions while reclaiming land affected by decades of oil and gas activity.
DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley joined representatives of Washington County-based M&A Resources, the contractor that completed the 400th well plugging, to mark the achievement. Among those attending was M&A Resources owner and Chief Executive Officer Jerome Bettis, the former Pittsburgh Steelers running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer.
“By maximizing every available state and federal funding source, DEP is shrinking Pennsylvania’s inventory of orphaned and abandoned wells, creating jobs, reducing methane emissions, and helping communities reclaim land that has been impacted for generations,” Shirley said.
The effort has been fueled by federal funding made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Pennsylvania received an initial $25 million well-plugging grant in 2022, followed by a $76.4 million Phase 1 award in 2024 and a $114.6 million Phase 2 award in March 2026. The state remains eligible for additional Phase 3 funding.
According to DEP, Pennsylvania has identified more than 27,000 orphaned and abandoned wells statewide. The agency said future contracts will continue prioritizing wells that pose the greatest risks to public health, safety and the environment.
Bettis said the project demonstrates how public and private partnerships can address legacy environmental challenges while supporting local employment.
“Addressing legacy wells takes commitment, resources, and experienced people on the ground doing the work,” Bettis said. “When government and industry work together, we create jobs, support local communities, and tackle challenges that benefit everyone.”
The Shapiro administration has previously marked the plugging of its 100th, 200th and 300th orphaned wells. Wednesday’s event represented the latest benchmark in what state officials describe as a long-term effort to address environmental liabilities stemming from Pennsylvania’s oil and gas history, which dates to the nation’s first commercial oil well in Titusville in 1859.
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