DCED Commonwealth Financing Authority CFA Grants 

Act 13 of 2012 establishes the Marcellus Legacy Fund and allocates funds to the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) for funding orphan or abandoned well plugging projects under the Orphan or Abandoned Well Plugging Program (OAWP). 

This grant program provides a potential funding mechanism for municipalities, authorized organizations, institutions of higher education, watershed organizations, for-profit businesses and councils of government to plug or vent abandoned or orphan wells, or to install mitigation systems to address stray gas migration concerns.  The application period extends from February 1st through May 31st of each year.

Over the past few years, DEP’s Office of Oil and Gas Management has taken steps to enhance its grant review process, provide significant outreach relating to the CFA OAWP program, and work directly with the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and grant applicants to ensure that the application packages submitted are high quality and meet all required criteria. 

Further information regarding the OAWP grants is available through the following resources:

• CFA Orphan or Abandoned Well Plugging Program Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Orphan or Abandoned Well Plugging Program Page on the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Website
  
• Information for Potential CFA OAWP Grant Applicants (Powerpoint PDF)
  
• Successful Grant Application Examples (PDF)