Harrisburg, PA – On Wednesday, Governor Josh Shapiro, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) visited Washington County to highlight the Shapiro Administration’s work to cap and plug orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells across Pennsylvania. Shapiro says his administration has capped and plugged 100 wells – more wells than in the prior 6 years combined. The 100th well was plugged at Hillman State Park in Burgettstown under an emergency contract with Yost Drilling after the DEP followed up on reports from local residents who were concerned about the risks abandoned wells posed to public health and safety. “My Administration is making real progress towards tackling a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions here in Pennsylvania, and creating thousands of good-paying, union jobs in the process,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “We must reject the false choice between protecting jobs and protecting our planet. I believe we can do both – we can embrace the Commonwealth’s role as an energy leader, create good-paying jobs, and fulfill our constitutional obligation to protect Pennsylvania’s clean air and pure water. Let’s plug the wells, improve our air quality, and strengthen our communities.” Shaprio says capping and plugging orphaned and abandoned wells improves public health, reduces planet-warming methane emissions, and creates good-paying jobs, so that’s why he has directed the DEP to draw down as much federal funding as possible to cap and plug the orphaned and abandoned wells that dot Pennsylvania.