Despite more than 15,000 documented orphan wells on public lands in the United States, the Department of the Interior is proposing to roll back bond rates for energy developers. Multiple organizations warn that such changes could increase taxpayer costs for well cleanup and habitat restoration.

New Mexico officials have filed suit against three Texas oil executives, accusing them of orchestrating a “fraudulent scheme” to pocket profits from hundreds of wells while avoiding cleanup costs. State taxpayers are allegedly left to shoulder the burden for plugging and cleaning these leaking wells.

America’s national debt is mounting at a pace so rapid—nearly $70,000 every passing second—that many no longer pay attention. Lynn Ashby highlights this collective inattentiveness, reminding each of us that our personal share of the debt is already in six figures.

Seventeen Staten Island Ferry engineers each earned more than $1 million in 2024, illustrating how a service that comes at no charge to passengers can carry a heavy price for taxpayers. In total, these salaries amount to $23.1 million.