Senators Cramer, Luján Write Op-Ed Outlining the Benefits of their Bill and Urging their Colleagues to Support it

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) applauded the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for passing his Revive Economic Growth and Reclaim Orphaned Wells (REGROW) Act yesterday, a bipartisan bill he introduced with Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) to plug and remediate the nation’s orphaned wells.

“Congress passing the REGROW Act would mean new jobs for oilfield workers, fewer environmental hazards in local communities, and more land available for production,” said Senator Cramer. “I applaud Chairman Manchin for advancing our bill and those on the Energy Committee like Senators Hoeven, Heinrich, and Cassidy who have been supportive of this effort and recognize the need for it. As we debate the path forward on infrastructure, I urge my colleagues to support including our REGROW Act in any final package.”

Senators Cramer and Luján introduced the REGROW Act in April, with Representative Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) and Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) introducing its House companion in June. If passed, the bill would provide: 
  • $4.275 billion for orphaned well cleanup on state and private lands;
  • $400 million for orphaned well cleanup on public and tribal lands;
  • $32 million for related research, development, and implementation.

Since introducing it, Senator Cramer has worked to secure the support of additional senators, as well as state and local leaders from across the country. The senator has publicly advocated for it in statements and hearings, as well as an op-ed with Senator Luján published in The Hill yesterday which outlines the details of the bill and the need for its passage.

“This bill has brought people together across normal divides because they recognize this is a crisis in need of action. As members of Congress and the White House advance their bipartisan infrastructure framework aimed at getting Americans back to work and creating good-paying jobs, plugging orphan wells should be part of the discussion,” the senators wrote. “The REGROW Act will put the skills and training of our energy workers to use reducing environmental hazards and public health risks and making previously unusable land productive again. Let’s not squander this historic opportunity to take meaningful action and address this crisis nationwide.”