Efforts to plug abandoned oil and gas wells in Kansas are back on track after delays caused by the pandemic. Earlier this week, staffers with the Kansas Corporation Commission updated lawmakers on the situation. The state began the process of sealing wells in the 1990’s using fees from the oil and gas industry. But the program received a significant boost from federal funding in 2022, following the passage of bipartisan infrastructure law. The White House has allocated $25 million in federal funding for well plugging in Kansas. More than 1,700 wells have been capped so far, but an estimated 9,000 abandoned wells remain, over 150 in Franklin County, which can pose a health and safety risk to Kansans. The KCC oversees the oil and gas industry and the well plugging process.
