The federal government is asking for public input on plans to cap twenty abandoned gas and oil wells along the river flowing into the Shenango River Lake in Mercer County.

It's part of a Bureau of Land Management effort seeking public input on four draft environmental assessments evaluating potential impacts from the proposed plugging of orphaned oil and gas wells on public lands in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Working collaboratively with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the BLM proposes plugging the wells and restoring surrounding lands to address environmental and safety hazards.

The BLM proposes to plug approximately 20 orphan oil and gas wells and remove associated surface equipment along the Shenango River which flows into the lake managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

 

  BLM

The BLM is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to determine how to minimize disruption to users and lands as the orphaned wells are plugged and the areas are restored.

Access to the wells will require a temporary work area around each well and a temporary road from nearby paved roads.

The project may include stream crossings and temporary mats to protect saturated areas from deep rutting and soil compaction.

Under the plan, the BLM will remove the temporary roads upon completion of plugging and remediate disturbed areas to the satisfaction of the surface owners.

Orphaned oil and gas wells are polluting backyards, recreation areas, and community spaces across the country. Many of these wells pose serious health and safety threats by contaminating surface and groundwater, releasing toxic air pollutants, and leaking methane – a “super pollutant” that is a significant cause of climate change and many times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Properly plugging the wells and reclaiming the surrounding area improves air quality, eliminates safety hazards, and addresses land and water contamination, including potential leaks from old well casing, oil tanks, and pipelines.

The BLM aims to complete the plugging activities during winter months to minimize potential impacts on wildlife and to reduce soil disturbance and erosion..

 “Our responsibility is clear: to restore the landscape and ensure enjoyment of these lands for current and future generations,” said Derek Strohl, assistant district manager for BLM Northeastern States District.

According to the watchdog group, the Environmental Defense Fund, there are 138 orphaned wells in Mercer County, ranking it eighth in the state for the number of orphaned wells.

 

  Environmental Defense Fund

BLM is accepting public comments on the draft analyses until August 16, 2024. To view the draft environmental assessments and learn how to comment, Visit the BLM National NEPA Register sites for the project: