WASHINGTON (Michigan News Source) – The U.S. Department of the Interior has awarded Michigan a $25 million grant, plus an additional $6 million dollars, to plug hundreds of old, abandoned oil wells across the state.

The money will allow the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to conduct eight times more work each year.

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Improperly abandoned well sites pose a problem because they can leak contaminants into groundwater.