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In this edition of our newsletter, we highlight coverage of ORVI’s recent Repairing the Damage reports and webinar series, co-produced by ReImagine Appalachia, on the environmental and public health problems posed by Appalachia’s slew of abandoned mine lands and orphan oil and gas wells. Our research demonstrates how federal programs to remediate these abandoned wells and mine lands could create tens of thousands of local, union jobs, reducing climate-warming methane emissions in the process.
The report’s findings have sparked conversation from the hills of Appalachia to the halls of Washington, D.C., where ORVI Senior Researcher Ted Boettner recently testified before the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Watch Boettner’s testimony for “Building Back Better: Creating Jobs and Reducing Pollution by Plugging and Reclaiming Orphaned Wells” here.
To keep the conversation going, we’ve included sample social media posts for each Repairing the Damage news hit. Please feel free to copy and share on Facebook or Twitter!
Meanwhile, the stiff market headwinds facing the fossil fuel industry continue to dominate energy headlines, particularly as conversation around climate solutions takes to the fore. Keep scrolling to see what’s on our reading list this week. |
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ORVI in the News
A Just Transition in Appalachia May Start With Plugging Old Oil Wells (Gizmodo)
Appalachia “has suffered at the hands of fossil fuel producers for decades,” Molly Taft writes, “and has long been a political punching bag in conversations around energy and jobs. Figuring out a just transition for its environment and its people is way overdue.” Reclaiming the region’s 538,000 abandoned oil and gas wells could set Appalachia on a path to a just, equitable transition by creating much-needed local jobs and negating pollution and public health risks, according to ORVI Senior Researcher Ted Boettner. “We can’t build a sustainable prosperous economy in many parts of Appalachia before we clean the area up first,” Boettner said. “It’s been a sacrifice zone for 200 years. Before you do that, it’s not going to have the quality of life necessary to have strong economic progress.”
- [Sample post] “Figuring out a just transition for Appalachia’s environment and people is way overdue,” writes @mollytaft for @EARTH3R. According to a new @O_R_V_I report, plugging the region’s 530,000 abandoned oil & gas wells could be a start: https://earther.gizmodo.com/a-just-transition-in-appalachia-may-start-with-plugging-1846701080
Reclaiming Degraded Lands for People and Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation)
Old, non-producing mine lands are often abandoned by their corporate owners, “leaving behind rusting well equipment, polluted waterways, and scarred hillsides—degradation that poses immediate and long-term dangers to humans and wildlife alike,” write Jessica Arriens and Portia Bharath. Reclaiming and restoring abandoned mine lands can help mitigate climate change while creating green jobs and boosting local economies.
- [Sample post] People & wildlife alike suffer from land degradation and mine abandonment. Restoring abandoned mine lands can help mitigate climate change while creating green jobs and boosting local economies, according to new @O_R_V_I data: https://blog.nwf.org/2021/04/reclaiming-degraded-lands-for-people-and-wildlife/
Another Reason to Nationalize Big Oil (The New Republic)
When major oil companies offload fossil fuel assets in the name of ‘going green,’ other firms often step in and keep drilling. “Just because greenhouse gas emissions move off a corporate balance sheet doesn’t mean they disappear,” Kate Aronoff writes. Truly mitigating carbon emissions will require eliminating the fossil fuel profit motive and holding firms accountable—right now, it’s too easy for oil and gas companies to walk away from highly polluting oil & gas wells, leaving cash-strapped local and state governments on cleanup duty. That’s why, at the current rate of remediation, it would take 900 years to plug America’s abandoned oil and gas wells. Nationalizing big oil could be the answer, Aronoff argues.
- [Sample post] At the current rate of remediation, it would take 900 years to plug America’s abandoned oil and gas wells, @O_R_V_I data shows. Per @KateAronoff, it’s a function of Big Oil’s profit motive and lack of accountability. Her story in @newrepublic: https://newrepublic.com/article/162077/another-reason-nationalize-big-oil
New Reports: Cleaning Up Coal Sites and Plugging Gas Wells Could Create Thousands of Jobs (Allegheny Front)
With the right funding, cleaning up Appalachia’s hundreds of thousands of old coal mines and abandoned oil and gas wells could create thousands of jobs as soon as tomorrow, Julie Grant writes. “These are not, ‘let’s train somebody and pray that they find a job.’ These are jobs that are identified, and that we can get started on today” said Ted Boettner, ORVI Senior Researcher and author of “Repairing the Damage from Hazardous Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells.”
- [Sample post] Cleaning up Appalachia’s abandoned mine lands and orphan oil & gas wells could create thousands of Appalachian jobs—and ones that “we can get started on today,” per @BoettnerTed ‘s latest @O_R_V_I report. @JulieIGrant for @AlleghenyFront: https://www.alleghenyfront.org/new-reports-cleaning-up-coal-site-and-plugging-gas-wells-could-create-thousands-of-jobs/
Dual Reports See Economic Opportunity in Cleaning Up Abandoned Mine Lands and Wells in WV (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
Biden’s infrastructure plan proposes $16 billion for abandoned mine and well restoration, Mike Tony writes, which could give the region “a leg up” on limiting acid mine drainage from abandoned mines, methane leaks from unplugged abandoned wells and reversing job losses sustained after fossil fuel industry downturns. “The opportunity we don’t want to miss is there’s movement at the federal level of investing billions of dollars in West Virginia that help employ people that are in the fossil fuel industry,” said ORVI Senior Researcher Ted Boettner. “We should take full advantage of that.”
- [Sample post] Biden’s $16 billion proposal to restore orphan oil & gas wells and abandoned mine lands could give WV “a leg up,” creating thousands of jobs across the Ohio Valley. @Mike__Tony covers @O_R_V_I’s latest reports for @wvgazettemail: https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/energy_and_environment/dual-reports-see-economic-opportunity-in-cleaning-up-abandoned-mine-lands-and-wells-in-wv/article_26856496-4017-5661-a8bd-00f9ec8af3e2.html
New Research: Reclamation of Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells, Mine Sites Could Create Thousands of Jobs (Ohio Valley ReSource)
The hundreds of thousands of unplugged oil and gas wells and abandoned mine lands in Central Appalachia can pollute the air and water and pose threats to public safety. “But according to two new ORVI reports, these sites that now pose serious health risks to residents could be providing thousands of jobs for the region,” Katie Myers writes. “The group’s findings indicate that, should the federal government take the risk seriously and invest in mitigation, not only would environmental risk be reduced, but thousands of well-paying jobs could potentially be created.”
- [Sample post] Appalachia’s abandoned mine lands and unplugged oil and gas wells “that now pose serious health risks to residents could be providing thousands of jobs for the region,” @stopitkatie writes in @OVReSRC. A pair of new reports from @O_R_V_I have the data: https://ohiovalleyresource.org/2021/04/14/new-research-reclamation-of-abandoned-oil-and-gas-wells-mine-sites-could-create-thousands-of-jobs/
Reports: Plugging Wells, Reclaiming Mine Land Could Create Thousands of Jobs (Farm and Dairy)
Appalachia’s long history with fossil fuels “turned out to be a costly one,” Rachel Wagoner writes, “but those costs could provide a ‘shot in the arm’ to the region in terms of employment.” The 530,000 abandoned oil and gas wells across Ohio River Valley states will cost up to $34 billion to plug, but could bring as many as 15,000 jobs per year to the region over 20 years.
- [Sample post] .@wagonerrachel for @farmanddairy: the costs of abandoned oil & gas wells could provide a “shot in the arm” to Appalachian employment numbers. Per new @O_R_V_I data, plugging abandoned wells could bring 15,000 jobs per year. https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/repairing-the-damage/
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What We’re Reading at ORVI
The fossil fuel industry continues to face market headwinds as climate solutions and clean energy take to the fore. Here are the stories we’ve been reading this week:
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