The Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2023 modifies federal grant programs that help states plug and remediate abandoned oil and gas wells. The bill removes requirements that states must measure methane emissions or conduct other specific monitoring activities to be eligible for these grants, though states may still choose to do so if they want. The legislation allows states to use estimates based on methane monitoring data collected before or after well plugging, rather than requiring actual measurements. Additionally, the bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to commission a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to examine how plugging abandoned wells affects communities, including economic development, housing trends, and environmental benefits like water quality improvements. The study must include data from at least one state in each U.S. region and coordinate with federal agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with results due to Congress within 18 months after the final grant is awarded.
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