Taxpayers at every level could be stuck with a quarter-trillion dollar bill to plug and cap the country’s 2.6 million onshore oil and gas wells, in addition to the estimated millions of orphaned wells across the country, according to a recent report issued by the Carbon Tracker Initiative. Abandoned oil and gas wells can leak tons of greenhouse gasses, including potent methane, into the atmosphere. On average, states and federal agencies only have enough funds to cover 1% of their liabilities, leaving taxpayers to make up the difference.  (E&E $, Houston Chronicle, KPVI, FT $, DeSmog)