Lycoming News

State Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23), chairman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, has introduced legislation aimed at addressing orphan and abandoned wells through the sale of alternative energy credits (AECs).

Senate Bill 1330 instructs the Pennsylvania Department of General Services to sell any alternative energy credits that the commonwealth earns annually from its 15-year solar power procurement deal with Constellation. The revenue generated will be used to cap more orphan and abandoned oil and gas wells. According to recent solar credit compliance costs for Pennsylvania, the state could collect an estimated $227 million over the contract's duration for this purpose.

"This legislation provides for a dedicated and recurring revenue stream that will address several thousand more sites than Pennsylvania could with just federal money alone," Yaw said. "There is no reason we can’t and shouldn’t leverage these credits to help fill the gap."

The Department of Environmental Protection estimates that Pennsylvania has up to 560,000 abandoned oil and gas wells, which pose safety and environmental risks. In 2022, Congress awarded the state $104 million as part of its infrastructure investment package to help address this issue, with additional federal funding expected in the future.

For more information on state-related news, constituents can visit Senator Yaw’s website at www.SenatorGeneYaw.com or follow him on Facebook and Twitter @SenatorGeneYaw.

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