Well-plugging project to get underway in the Allegheny National Forest

Warren, Pa, — Work to plug several orphaned oil and gas wells along, and near, the Allegheny National Forest’s Minister Creek trail will begin this month, the U.S. Forest Service recently announced.

Orphaned wells are found throughout the nation, according to the service – in backyards, in cities, on farms, and in places folks hunt, fish, hike and camp. Most are decades old and exist on state and private lands.

A recent inventory found that nearly 16,000 wells are located on public federal lands.

MORE COVERAGE FROM PENNSYLVANIA OUTDOOR NEWS:

Notes off a soiled cuff: Would baiting of deer create tension between neighbors in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania Game Commission drones applying herbicide on wetlands to fight invasives

Pennsylvania senior couple scores rare ‘triple trophies’ in same license year

Millions of Americans across the country live within one mile of an orphaned oil and gas well. Unplugged wells can release methane and provide pathways for contaminants to reach surface and groundwater.

During the U.S. Forest Service’s work to plug orphaned oil and gas wells, expect to see equipment — including trucks, excavators, and workover rigs — along the Minister Creek Trail and staged in the parking lot, as well as selective widening of the trail.

Portions of the trail and nearby campsites may be closed temporarily to keep visitors safe.

This work is funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which created new programs for plugging, remediation, and restoration on federal, state, private and tribal lands.

Partnerships with states remain essential because most legacy wells sit on lands where surface and mineral ownership is split.

In Pennsylvania, the U.S. Forest Service is working with the Department of Environmental Protection to plug wells within federal lands where minerals are held by private entities.

This collaboration is vital to protecting the public and natural resources, the services said.