,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #hccb  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,septemb] #ba1        
#bjbj,mr4 ,?ompson ( ,p5nsylvania 7=    
himself & ,mr4 ,res*5?al]7 introduc$ !  
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,natural ,res\rces  ,a    
,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,en]gy ,policy ,act (
 #bjje to reau?orize a program to       
address orphan$1 ab&on$1 or idl$ wells  
on ,f$]al l&1 to e/abli% a program to   
provide grants to ,/ates & ,tribes to   
address orphan$ wells1 & = o!r purposes4
  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ 
z ! ,plugg+ ,orphan ,wells &            
,environm5tal ,re/oration ,act ( #bjbj  
or ! ,,p[] ,act ( #bjbj4  #b4 ,f$]al l&s
 ,section #cdi7;h77#a7 ( ! ,en]gy       
,policy ,act ( #bjje 7#db ,u4,s4,c4     
#aeijg7;h77#a77 is am5d$ by /rik+       
#be1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjjf   
?r\gh #bjaj & ins]t+ #ej1jjj1jjj = ea* (
 fiscal ye>s #bjba ?r\gh #bjbe4  #c4    
,/ate & ,tribal l&s  7a7 ,/ate & ,tribal
 orphan$ wells  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat]   

?an #ij days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( 
?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior %all 
e/abli% a program to provide grants to  
,/ates & ,indian ,tribes to rem$iate1   
reclaim1 & close orphan$ oil & gas wells
 locat$ on ,/ate1 ,tribal1 or private   
l&s4  7#b7 ,activities ,funds di/ribut$ 
"u ?is subsection may be us$ by ,/ates &
 ,indian ,tribes =-- 7,a7 reclaim+1     
rem$iat+1 & clos+ orphan$ wells2  7,b7  
reclaim+ & rem$iat+ well pads & access  
roads associat$ ) orphan$ wells2  7,c7  
re/or+ native species habitat t has be5 
degrad$ due to ! pres5ce ( orphan$      
wells2  7,d7 seek+ to det]m9e !         
id5tities ( pot5tially responsible      
p>ties associat$ ) ! orphan$ well sites1
 or _! sureties or gu>antors1 to ! ext5t
 su* in=mation c be asc]ta9$1 & make    
ef=ts to obta9 reimbursem5t =           
exp5ditures to ! ext5t practicable2     
7,e7 id5tification & *>act]ization (    
undocum5t$ orphan$ wells on ,/ate1      
,tribal1 & private l&s2  7,f7 rank+     
orphan$ or ab&on$ well sites bas$ on    

factors su* z public heal? & safety1    
pot5tial environm5tal h>m1 & o!r l& use 
priorities2  7,g7 adm9i/ration ( a ,/ate
 or ,tribal orphan$ well closure        
program1 provid$ t no m ?an #aj p]c5t ( 
! funds receiv$ by a ,/ate or ,indian   
,tribe "u ?is subsection may be us$ =   
?is purpose2 &  7,h7 mak+ in=mation     
reg>d+ ! use ( funds "u ?is subsection  
available to ! public4  7#c7 ,priority  
,9 provid+ grants "u ?is subsection1 !  
,secret>y %all give priority to ,/ates &
 ,indian ,tribes t h an e/abli%$ ,/ate  
or ,tribal program = ! rem$iation1      
reclamation1 or closure ( ab&on$1 idl$1 
or orphan$ oil & gas wells4  7#d7       
,application ,/ates & ,indian ,tribes   
%all be eligible = grants "u ?is        
subsection ^u application to ! ,secret>y
 ( ! ,int]ior4 ,su* application %all    
include-- 7,a7 a prioritiz$ li/ ( !     
wells1 well sites1 & affect$ areas t w  
be rem$iat$1 reclaim$1 or clos$2  7,b7 a
 description ( ! activities to be c>ri$ 
out ) ! grant1 includ+ an id5tification 

( ! e/imat$ heal?1 safety1 habitat1 &   
environm5tal b5efits ( rem$iat+1        
reclaim+1 or clos+ ea* well1 well site1 
or affect$ area2  7,c7 an e/imate ( !   
co/ ( ea* propos$ project2  7,d7 an     
e/imate ( ! numb] ( jobs t w be creat$  
or sav$ ?r\gh ! projects to be fund$ "u 
?is subsection2  7,e7 an e/imate ( !    
funds to be sp5t on adm9i/rative co/s2 &
  7,f7 a description ( h[ ! in=mation   
reg>d+ ! ,/ate's or ,indian ,tribe's    
activities "u ?is subsection w be made  
available to ! public4  7#e7 ,allocation
 ,! ,secret>y %all1 9 consultation )    
,/ates1 affect$ ,indian ,tribes1 & !    
,int]/ate ,oil & ,gas ,compact          
,commission1 develop a =mula = ! am\nt (
 grant fund+ ea* ,/ate or ,indian ,tribe
 is eligible = "u ?is subsection1 tak+  
into acc\nt-- 7,a7 ! numb] ( docum5t$   
orphan$ wells )9 ! ,/ate or on ea*      
,indian ,tribe's l&s2  7,b7 ! am\nt (   
oil & gas activity )9 ! ,/ate or on     
,tribal l&s 9 ! previ\s #aj ye>s2 &     
7,c7 ! numb] ( jobs lo/ 9 ! oil & gas   

sector s9ce ,m>* #a1 #bjbj4  7b7        
,te*nical assi/ance  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!   
,secret>y ( ,en]gy1 9 coop]ation ) !    
,secret>y1 %all e/abli% a program to    
provide te*nical assi/ance to oil & gas 
produc+ ,/ates & ,indian ,tribes to     
ensure practical & economical rem$ies = 
environm5tal problems caus$ by orphan$  
or ab&on$ oil & gas well sites on ,/ate1
 ,tribal1 or private l&4  7#b7          
,assi/ance ,! ,secret>y ( ,en]gy %all "w
 ) ! ,/ates1 ?r\gh ! ,int]/ate ,oil &   
,gas ,compact ,commission1 to assi/ !   
,/ates 9 quantify+ & mitigat+           
environm5tal risks ( on%ore orphan$ or  
ab&on$ oil or gas wells on ,/ate1       
,tribal1 & private l&4  7#c7 ,activities
 ,! program "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all       
include-- 7,a7 me*anisms to facilitate  
id5tification1 if feasible1 ( ! p]sons  
curr5tly provid+ a bond or o!r =m (     
f9ancial assurance requir$ "u ,/ate or  
,f$]al law = an oil or gas well t is    
orphan$ or ab&on$2  7,b7 crit]ia = rank+
 orphan$ or ab&on$ well sites bas$ on   

factors su* z public heal? & safety1    
pot5tial environm5tal h>m1 & o!r l& use 
priorities2  7,c7 in=mation & tra9+     
programs on be/ practices = rem$iation (
 diff]5t types ( sites2 &  7,d7 fund+ ( 
,/ate mitigation ef=ts on a co/-%>$     
basis4  7c7 ,report to ,congress ,n lat]
 ?an #a ye> aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is
 section1 & e ye> !reaft]1 ! ,secret>y  
%all submit to ,congress a report on !  
programs e/abli%$ "u ?is section1       
includ+ ! numb] ( jobs creat$ & ! numb] 
( orphan$ wells reclaim$4  7d7          
,liability protection ,a p]son :o       
provides equipm5t1 mat]ials1 or s]vices 
to plug1 or attempt to plug1 an orphan$ 
well pursuant to a grant aw>d$ to a     
,/ate or ,indian ,tribe "u ?is ,act %all
 be immune f civil liability 9 any legal
 proce$+ br\ght to en=ce an environm5tal
 law or o!rwise impose liability = su*  
conduct4  7e7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is        
section3 7#a7 ,orphan$ well ,! t]m      
orphan$ well means any well n 9 op]ation
 = :i* !re is no responsible p>ty kn[n  

to ! ,secret>y to reclaim & rem$iate or 
close ! well site4  7#b7 ,responsible   
p>ty ,! t]m responsible p>ty has ! mean+
 giv5 to x by ! relevant ,/ate1 or if ! 
relevant /ate does n provide a          
def9ition1 means any p]son1 association1
 corporation1 subsidi>y1 or affiliate t 
directly or indirectly1 controls1       
manages1 directs1 or und]takes !        
activities ) respect to an oil & gas    
lease or any p]son or entity controll$  
by1 or "u common control )1 su* p]son or
 entity4  7f7 ,appropriations ,!re are  
au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to !         
,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior #djj1jjj1jjj =   
ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjba ?r\gh #bjbe to  
c>ry out ?is section4