Missing audits undermine billion‑dollar cleanups

States sometimes spend large sums on long‑running environmental programs without the independent program audits lawmakers required to test cost‑effectiveness and enforcement. When mandated audits aren’t procured — as in Vermont’s Lake Champlain program, where a 2021 external review never materialized despite $928 million disbursed — policymakers and the public lack the evidence needed to reallocate funds or tighten enforcement of major pollution sources like farms. — This matters because oversight gaps turn expensive environmental commitments into black boxes, increasing the risk of waste and underenforcement while eroding public trust and EPA‑mandated accountability.