Report says plugging wells, reclaiming mine land may create jobs in Appalachia

A new report done by the Ohio River Valley Institute concluded that the more than half-million abandoned oil and gas wells in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia will cost up to $34 billion to plug, which could boost employment in the region, according to Farm and Dairy.

The investment necessary to remediate the abandoned oil and gas wells could support 15,000 jobs a year for 20 years, according to Ted Boettner, the author of “Repairing the Damage from Hazardous Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells.”

A second report titled “Repairing the Damage: Cleaning Up the Land, Air, and Water Damaged by the Coal Industry Before 1977” reported an additional 7,000 jobs could be supported over 10 years with a $13 billion investment to reclaim abandoned mine lands.

Learn more: Farm and Dairy > Reports: plugging wells, reclaiming mine land could create thousands of jobs

This post appeared first on Shale Gas Reporter.