Long-Ignored ‘Orphan’ Wells, Abandoned Mines Are Now Urgencies, With $5 Billion in Funds

A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contractor keeps a bag of lime on hand to correct the PH of mine wastewater flowing into a series of sediment retention ponds, part of danger mitigation in the aftermath of the blowout at the site of the Gold King Mine outside Silverton, Colo., in 2015. Brennan Linsley/AP Photo

Defunct oil/gas wells and abandoned mines have long been lore-of-the-ore backstories in literally and figuratively shaping much of the U.S. landscape because, until recently, there was no comprehensive plan to plug these often hazardous sites.

In fact, listing oil/gas wells and mines without liable owners was arduous because many pre-date environmental regulations have no records or are locked in court proceedings that can last years and usually end up in bankruptcies.