Interior Department approves $1B to clean up abandoned wells

BY DREW COSTLEY
AP Science Writer

The Department of Interior is spending $1.15 billion to create jobs across the United States by capping abandoned oil and gas wells in communities plagued for decades by air and water pollution from wells. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland says the funding will help the country “confront the legacy pollution and long-standing environmental injustices that for too long have plagued underrepresented communities.” Much of the funding is focused on plugging wells in communities of color and rural and tribal communities.