The Interior Department is giving 24 states, including Arizona, millions of dollars in funding to start cleaning high-priority oil and gas wells abandoned on state and private land.
A news release said up to 10,000 wells could be dealt with under grants announced Thursday. It's part of $4.7 billion set for orphan well cleanup under the bipartisan infrastructure plan approved late last year.
The department has said more than a billion dollars will be given out during this fiscal year. Arizona is set to receive $25 million.
California, Ohio and Texas are among states receiving the most money as they have the most abandoned wells.