The White House on Monday announced a series of measures to curb methane emissions from oil and gas activity, including a $1.15 billion program for states to plug orphan oil and gas wells and to enforce tighter emissions rules for natural gas pipeline operators. 

The funds are part of a $4.7 billion orphan wells cleanup program authorized under the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and would be made available via the Interior Department (DOI). 

“Many of these orphaned wells are located in rural communities, environmental justice communities and communities of color that have suffered from years of divestment,” the White House said. “Plugging these wells will not only reduce methane emissions and stop dangerous pollution, but it will create good-paying,...