Letters to the Editor: Why should taxpayer money be used to plug wells used by oil companies?

To the editor: The county should be applauded for suing the owners of idle oil wells who have allegedly failed to plug their wells as required by law (“L.A. County sues oil companies over unplugged oil wells near Baldwin Hills,” Dec. 11).

According to the California Department of Conservation, there are approximately 35,000 idle wells throughout the state. The California General Fund allocated $100 million over two years ($50 million each of the 2022 and 2023 budgets) to plug deserted wells, but that is taxpayer money that could be used elsewhere.

The oil companies met the demand for oil and, as a result, have made vast profits. Surely there is no reason they cannot meet their obligations to close wells when they are no longer used instead of relying on taxpayer money.

Steven Rice, Thousand Oaks