Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ)
Stop Orphaned Wells Act
A Democratic bill with 6 Democratic cosponsors · See all 6 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
H.R. 10721, known as the Stop Orphaned Wells Act, aims to reform the Mineral Leasing Act to ensure that oil and gas operators completely and timely reclaim disturbed land and water. The bill establishes new financial assurance and bonding requirements, eliminating nationwide financial assurances and setting specific minimum bond amounts. It regulates temporarily abandoned and shut-in wells to reduce idled well inventories on Federal land. The legislation also addresses predecessor liability, ensuring that former leaseholders remain responsible for pre-existing obligations. Additionally, the bill introduces limitations and application requirements for the transfer of oil and gas leases. Finally, it establishes strict "fitness to operate" standards and certification processes for entities seeking leases, rights-of-way, or permits on Federal land.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +8
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill ensures complete and timely reclamation of land and water disturbed by oil and gas production by strengthening bonding requirements and predecessor liability.
- Scored +6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The legislation requires the Secretary of the Interior to publicly publish databases of idled wells and post proposed lease transfers online for public comment.
- Scored +4
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill expands Federal oversight by establishing stringent Department of the Interior bonding standards, transfer limitations, and mandatory fitness certifications.
The opposite
- Scored -4
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
Eliminating nationwide financial assurances and setting strict minimum bond amounts increases operational costs and compliance burdens for smaller oil and gas operators.
- Scored -3
Would business owners be better off under this?
Increased bonding minimums and rigorous transfer hurdles create financial and administrative challenges for independent oil and gas business owners.
- Scored -2
Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced?
Stricter financial assurances and 'fitness to operate' certification standards may slightly impede or delay new leasing and development activities on Federal land.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection of Taxpayer Funds: By requiring oil and gas operators to provide sufficient financial assurances and bonds, the bill helps ensure that companies, rather than Federal and State taxpayers, finance the remediation and reclamation of orphaned wells as noted in Section 2 and Section 3.
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Environmental and Public Health Safety: Section 3 amends the Mineral Leasing Act to require operators to provide financial assurances prior to commencing activities, ensuring the complete and timely remediation of land and water resources adversely affected by lease operations.
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Public Transparency: Section 3 and Section 5 require the Secretary of the Interior to annually update and publicly publish a database of idled, temporarily abandoned, and shut-in wells, and to post proposed lease transfers for public comment on the Department of the Interior website.
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Accountability for Past Operators: Section 4 establishes predecessor liability, requiring that a transferor of a lease will continue to be responsible for pre-existing obligations such as plugging drilled wells and removing pre-existing facilities.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Financial Burdens on Operators: Section 3 eliminates nationwide financial assurances and sets strict minimum bond amounts, such as $200,000 for an individual lease or $650,000 for all leases in a State, which could increase operational costs for smaller oil and gas producers.
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Stricter Operational and Transfer Hurdles: Section 5 and Section 6 mandate rigorous application processes, financial risk assessments, and fitness to operate certifications, which may delay or prevent companies from acquiring, transferring, or extending leases, rights-of-way, or permits on Federal land.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The legislation requires the Secretary of the Interior to publicly publish databases of idled wells and post proposed lease transfers online for public comment. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands Federal oversight by establishing stringent Department of the Interior bonding standards, transfer limitations, and mandatory fitness certifications.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill ensures complete and timely reclamation of land and water disturbed by oil and gas production by strengthening bonding requirements and predecessor liability. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — Regulating idled, temporarily abandoned, and shut-in wells helps reduce fugitive emissions and environmental hazards from inactive oil and gas infrastructure. Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced? — Stricter financial assurances and 'fitness to operate' certification standards may slightly impede or delay new leasing and development activities on Federal land.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would farmers be better off under this? — Stricter land reclamation rules help protect rural and agricultural land from lingering environmental damage caused by abandoned oil and gas operations. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Mandating timely remediation of orphaned and idled wells improves local environmental safety and resource quality in rural communities. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Protecting taxpayer funds from being used to clean up orphaned wells prevents undue fiscal burdens on the general public. Would business owners be better off under this? — Increased bonding minimums and rigorous transfer hurdles create financial and administrative challenges for independent oil and gas business owners.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Eliminating nationwide financial assurances and setting strict minimum bond amounts increases operational costs and compliance burdens for smaller oil and gas operators.
- 10/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/5/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Julia BrownleyDemocrat · California
Adelita GrijalvaDemocrat · Arizona
Jared HuffmanDemocrat · California
Dave MinDemocrat · California
Joe NeguseDemocrat · Colorado
Lateefah SimonDemocrat · California