Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act of 2025

This bill focuses on cleaning up old, orphaned oil and gas wells. It says states can get federal cleanup grants without first measuring methane leaks from those wells. In short, measuring methane is optional, not a requirement for funding.

It also orders an independent study on how this cleanup work affects communities. The Department of the Interior will work with the National Academies to look at things like local jobs, housing trends, and possible benefits such as better water quality. The study will include input from states across all regions and agencies like HUD, and it will use existing funds. A report is due 18 months after the last grant is awarded.

• Who is affected: State programs that plug orphaned wells and the communities living near these sites.
• What changes: States don’t have to measure methane to qualify for grants; a nationwide study will review economic, housing, and environmental impacts.
• When: The Interior Department must seek the study agreement within 180 days of enactment; the final report is due 18 months after the last grant is awarded.