Formula Grant - Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Forecasted
Formula Grant supports Pennsylvania’s work to plug abandoned and orphan oil and gas wells, prioritizing high-risk sites and vulnerable communities to protect the environment and public health and safety.
Funder: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Due Dates (Anticipated): December 2026 (Formula Grant application)
Funding Amounts: $305,625,896 total Pennsylvania Formula Grant eligibility; funds obligated within five years and spent over ten years
Summary: Federal formula funding supports Pennsylvania’s plugging of abandoned and orphan oil and gas wells to protect the environment and public health and safety.
Key Information: Pennsylvania is the eligible grant recipient; DEP selects well-plugging projects from its Abandoned and Orphan Well List.
Description
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), through its Office of Oil and Gas Management, administers Formula Grant funding under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The funding expands well-plugging work across Pennsylvania, targeting a documented inventory of approximately 27,000 known abandoned and orphan oil and gas wells. The program advances environmental protection, economic development, and public health and safety.
DEP selects projects after investigating wells and finding no identifiable responsible party. Priorities reflect well risks, opportunities to maximize contract efficiencies, and the goal of plugging as many wells as possible. DEP also seeks to direct investment toward traditionally underserved and low-income communities, communities of color, and other vulnerable populations where priority wells exist, following federal Justice40 directives and considering environmental justice maps.
