Colorado’s initial funding of $25 million in federal money to clean up orphaned oil and gas sites will bulk up a new state fund intended to cover the costs associated with hundreds of wells across the state.
The $25 million is part of the federal infrastructure bill and is targeting high-priority oil and gas wells on state and private land that weren’t properly closed and cleaned up. Wells are considered orphaned when an owner can’t be found or the owner can’t or won’t take care of the wells.
Altogether, Colorado is expected to receive at least $79 million in grants and formula funding through a $4.7 billion program to close orphaned wells and restore well sites.
