Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
A new report released today by the Carbon Tracker Initiative illustrates the problem of millions of unplugged and abandoned oil and gas wells across the United States. Industry is obligated by law to plug and clean up most of these wells, but according to the report, Race to the Top, $250 billion is needed to address the scale of the problem, and many operators are in default and will be unable to meet their closure obligations.
The report ranks oil and gas producing states on their protection of taxpayers from bearing the cost of well cleanup, and Ohio was ranked as the worst-performing state in the country.
In response the Buckeye Environmental Network and the Sierra Club released the following statements:
“This report couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Teresa Mills, Executive Director of the Buckeye Environmental Network. “The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) now has the information from this report and regulatory changes it needs to ensure that Ohio residents aren’t stuck paying $12.5 billion dollars for closure and clean up of wells. ODNR just released new draft well drilling rules a few months ago. This report gives effective suggestions on how the state can strengthen our well closure requirements. But, will they?”
“A lot of people are going to see their heating bills go up significantly this winter at the same time that oil and gas companies are seeing record profits,” said Shelly Corbin, Campaign Representative for Sierra Club’s Beyond Dirty Fossil Fuels Program in Ohio. “The oil and gas industry already gets huge handouts from our legislature; it doesn’t need another $12.5 billion. Our taxpayer dollars should be funding schools and programs to actually help our families, not cleaning up the fossil fuel industry’s mess and lining executives’ pockets. Our state government must take action to put in place stronger well plugging regulations and better financial assurances to ensure that taxpayers aren’t left footing the bill for well cleanup.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.