Since 2002, BLM_Alaska Has Spent $86 Million To Clean Up 18 Abandoned, Leaking "Legacy" Oil Wells

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Since 2002, BLM-Alaska has secured about $86 million to plug 18 legacy wells, Curtis said. It was brought up during testimony last year that BLM-Alaska gets about $1 million a year to manage legacy wells. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said recently that she had secured about $6 million for the work, but an aide said Tuesday that had passed committee but not the full Congress.

The issue of legacy wells has roused a strong response from AOGCC Commissioner Cathy Foerster and members of the state legislature and Alaska's congressional delegation. Murkowski, who has pushed for progress on the issue, told reporters last month that the important update was that BLM has been "working with us, rather than basically stonewalling us."

The legislature last year passed a resolution urging BLM to properly plug and reclaim the well sites as soon as possible, saying they pose "significant risk to surface vegetation, groundwater, fish, land mammals and sea mammals." The state House passed a similar resolution late Monday night, HJR6, which, in addition to urging action by BLM, also suggested the agency consider turning over responsibility for the cleanup and restoration to an entity that could "perform the work in compliance with federal and state regulations with greater cost-effectiveness." One option Foerster has raised is leasing the area to oil and gas companies and having them do the cleanup as part of their lease terms.

The resolution's sponsor, Rep. Charisse Millett, urged colleagues traveling to Washington, D.C., for The Energy Council conference this week to bring the issue up with members of Congress. In her floor speech, she said BLM's mission is to protect and preserve lands but "they are the absolute worst offenders in the state of Alaska."

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http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/BLM-Not-trying-to-avoid-well-clean-up-in-Alaska-4330541.php