Estimates show there may be as many as 200,000 abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells across Pennsylvania.

Costs vary, but a federal estimate indicates an average of $33,000 to plug one.

At that rate it would cost billions to plug them all.

But Congressman Glenn Thompson (R-15) has rolled out a bill aimed at providing some funding in the effort. Co-sponsored with Salud Carbajal, a California Democrat, the legislators call the bill the POWER Act — Plugging Orphaned Wells and Environmental Restoration.

A statement from Thompson says the bill “reauthorizes the federal orphan well remediation program under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 for five years at $50 million per year” and “establish a new grant program for environmental restoration and reclamation of orphaned wells on state, private, and tribal lands and authorizes $400 million per year for this purpose for five years.”

This legislation covers orphaned wells, considered a subset of abandoned wells. According to the state Department of Environmental Protection, an orphaned well is specifically a well abandoned prior to 1985 that isn’t in operation by the present owner, who also isn’t receiving any “economic benefit” tied specifically to the well.

“The Commonwealth’s oil and gas sites ushered in the modern petroleum industry, which led the United States to become a global power and today, energy independent,” Thompson said. “The POWER Act will help accelerate environmental restoration while providing an economic benefit throughout oil and gas producing regions.

“This is good policy for both the environment and jobs in Pennsylvania.”

The legislation was introduced on July 28 and on the same day referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

According to congress.gov, the text of the bill had not been received as of Monday.

“This is the right bill at the right time. The plugging of orphaned wells is a win for the environment and it helps get displaced workers back on the job,” said David Clark, president of the Pennsylvania Grade Crude Coalition.

“The timing could not be better,” he added. “This legislation will save jobs while also protecting the environment through plugging this ancient classification of wells that time has forgotten. The plugging of the wells will reduce the potential of pollution of surface and subsurface waters as well as reduce fugitive methane emissions.”