D25AP00200

PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY (OMB 4040-0019)THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IS APPLYING FOR THE $23,263,107.00 MILLION DOLLARS AVAILABLE UNDER THE MATCHING GRANT FUNDING. LOUISIANA HAS AN ESTABLISHED AN ORPHAN SITE RESTORATION PROGRAM FOR REMEDIATION OF ORPHANED OIL AND GAS WELL SITES ON LAND, THE STATE S NAVIGABLE WATERBODIES (BOTH INLAND AND OFFSHORE), AND THE STATE S 2.5 MILLION ACRES OF WETLANDS. THIS GRANT FUNDING ALONG WITH THE OTHER IIJA GRANT FUNDING PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR LOUISIANA TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE JOBS, SAFEGUARD THE ENVIRONMENT, AND SAFELY PLUG OIL AND GAS WELLS. ADDITIONALLY, THIS FUNDING PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE THE CURRENT ORPHAN PROGRAM THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH UNIVERSITIES, OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND INDUSTRY TO DEVELOP NEW TOOLS TO TRACK ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL METRICS. LOUISIANA PLANS TO USE MATCHING GRANT FUNDING TO PLUG AND RESTORE ORPHANED WELLS AND RELATED SITES UNDER A MODIFIED VERSION OF LOUISIANA S EXISTING ORPHAN WELL PROGRAM. THE MATCHING GRANT WILL BE USED TO CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT METHANE MONITORING, INCLUDE CONSIDERATION OF DISPARATE IMPACTS ON DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, AND WORK TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND VERIFICATION PROTOCOLS FOR ORPHANED WELL SITES. ACTIVITIES TO PERFORMED UNDER THE MATCHING GRANT WILL INCLUDE: 1) THE PLUGGING, REMEDIATION, AND RECLAMATION OF ORPHANED WELLS AND REMOVING ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE ON STATE OR PRIVATELY OWNED LANDS 2) MODIFICATION OF THE ORPHANED WELL RANKING SYSTEM FOR THOSE WELLS IN THE PROJECT TO INCLUDE METHANE MONITORING AND DISPARATE IMPACTS ON DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES 3) MAINTAINING A PUBLIC WEBSITE CONTAINING INFORMATION ON THE USE OF THE IIJA GRANT MONIES 4) IMPLEMENTING A PROTOCOL TO MEASURE AND TRACK (I) EMISSIONS OF METHANE AND OTHER GASES ASSOCIATED WITH ORPHANED WELLS AND (II) CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER OR SURFACE WATER ASSOCIATED WITH ORPHANED WELLS AND OR (5) ESTABLISHING TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR THE DISPLACED ENERGY WORKFORCE AND FOR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES THAT ARE QUALIFIED FOR JOBS ASSOCIATED WITH PLUGGING AND RESTORING OILFIELD WELL SITES.ADDITIONALLY, SIGNIFICANT DATA WILL BE COLLECTED PROVIDING QUANTITATIVE METRICS ON THE REDUCTION IN METHANE EMISSIONS AND WATER CONTAMINATION. LOUISIANA WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF DISPLACED ENERGY WORKERS AND MEMBERS OF DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES WITH AN EYE TOWARD PROVIDING GOOD PAYING JOBS IN THE OILFIELD SITE PLUGGING AND RELATED FIELDS.

Louisiana Department Of Natural Resources

RESTORE LANDS TO PRODUCTIVE USES INCLUDING ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. ENHANCE THE PROTECTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY FROM ADVERSE EFFECTS OF OIL DRILLING PRACTICES FROM ORPHANED WELLS ON STATE AND PRIVATE LANDS. REMEDIATE AND RESTORE LAND AND WATER RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT PREVIOUSLY DEGRADED BY THE EFFECTS OF OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION AND DRILLING ACTIVITIES ON STATE AND PRIVATE LANDS. IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS HUMAN HEALTH OR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ORPHANED WELLS ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

15.018 - Energy Community Revitalization Program (ECRP)

Interior Business Center (IBC) [DOI]

Louisiana United States

State-Wide

D-AQD-FA-25-002