Vet Voice Foundation statement on the Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act and the PEOPLE Act

On June 21, 2021, Senator Michael Bennet introduced the Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act and the PEOPLE Act. 

In reaction to the announcement, Vet Voice Foundation’s Kate Hoit, a U.S. Army veteran, released the following statement:

“Veterans know the importance of protecting our public lands and communities. But oil and gas CEOs do not hold themselves to this same standard. For decades, oil and gas companies have left behind orphaned oil wells and aging infrastructure on our public lands, sticking taxpayers with the clean-up costs, and imperiling the places that veterans served to protect. Thankfully, Senator Bennet’s legislation would change the broken federal leasing system that lets oil and gas companies get away with abandoning wells on public lands and leaving us with the bill. In addition, Senator Bennet’s bills will ensure the public has a say in how the lands we all own are managed. Our public lands are too essential to our nation to be threatened or put off limits by the outdated oil and gas leasing system any longer, and we applaud Senator Bennet for taking action to ensure our public lands work for the public once more.”

Read more about the bills here: Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act Full Bill TextBonding Bill Section-by-Section Summary and PEOPLE Act Full Bill Text.