Laura Daniel-Davis, acting deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, said recently in Albuquerque that New Mexico will receive from the federal government $25 million to address pollution and orphaned oil and gas wells in the state. She said the Biden administration “is empowering communities across the country to confront long-standing environmental injustices by making a historic investment to plug orphaned oil and gas wells.”
New Mexico already has been plugging orphaned wells, and this funding will support the plugging of 117 additional wells, remediation of 4 sites, and surface restoration of 33 sites.
Daniel-Davis also met with representatives of New Mexico’s Department of Minerals and Natural Resources.