Laws & Regulations

Report: Improved EPA Oversight of Funding Recipients' Title VI Programs Could Prevent Discrimination

Report #20-E-0333, September 28, 2020. Despite elimination of the case backlog, additional improvements in the EPA's oversight of Title VI funding recipients could prevent discrimination.

Report: EPA’s National Security Information Program Could Be Improved

Report #12-P-0543, June 18, 2012. Under its classified NSI program, EPA has assigned responsibilities and provided guidance, training, and oversight. EPA program offices provide secure equipment and space, following NSI program specifications.

Report: Delayed Cleanup of Asbestos Debris at the Old Davis Hospital Site Necessitates Changes for EPA Region 4 and North Carolina

Report #18-P-0271, Sept 18, 2018. EPA Region 4 and North Carolina followed procedures at the Old Davis Hospital site; but, those procedures did not result in the timely removal of asbestos that posed a potential threat to human health and the environment.

Report: Alleged Misuse of Tribal Clean Water Act Section 106 Funds in EPA Region 8

Report #12-P-0453, May 4, 2012. On the first allegation, we found that Region 8 funded tribal Section 106 programs based on the region’s review of tribal work plans and did not inappropriately withhold funds.

Report: EPA Should Strengthen Records Management on Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit Notification Reviews for Surface Coal Mining

Report #12-P-0249, February 2, 2012. EPA staff in Regions 3, 4, and 5 should better document their records of review activities on CWA Section 404 surface mining permit notifications.

Report: Results of Independent Groundwater Sampling at Neal’s Dump Superfund Site

Report #09-P-0110, March 4, 2009. Our results showed that PCBs in the two residential wells did not exceed safe levels for drinking water.

Report: Policies Needed for Proper Use and Management of Cost-Reimbursement Contracts Based on Duncan Hunter Act

Report #12-P-0320, March 6, 2012. EPA did not comply with several key revisions to the FAR as amended by the interim rule, Proper Use and Management of Cost Reimbursement Contracts (FAR Case 2008-030).

Report: Results of Technical Network Vulnerability Assessment: EPA’s Region 6

Report #12-P-0659, August 10, 2012. Our vulnerability assessments of EPA’s Region 6 wireless network infrastructure found no security weaknesses.

Report: EPA Can Improve Its Improper Payments Reporting

Report #12-P-0311, March 1, 2012. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) complied with IPERA in that it reported all required information on improper payments, but EPA can improve the accuracy and completeness of the information.

Report: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Site Visit of the Botanic Garden of Western Pennsylvania

Report #12-R-0321, March 8, 2012. The Botanic Garden used Recovery Act funds to construct ponds that are not being used for their stated purpose.

Report: EPA's Purchase Card and Convenience Check Program Controls Are Not Effective for Preventing Improper Purchases

Report #18-P-0232, August 20, 2018. Ineffective oversight at the EPA contributed to improper purchases totaling $57,017 from sampled transactions.

Report: Stronger Management Controls Will Improve EPA Five-Year Reviews of Superfund Sites

Report #12-P-0251, February 6, 2012. The FYR process benefited from OSRTI reviews of draft reports, but improvements could be made to increase the impact of these reviews.

Report: Great Lakes National Program Should Improve Internal Controls to Ensure Effective Legacy Act Operations

Report #12-P-0407, April 9, 2012. GLLA program funding has increased five-fold over the last 7 years; however, the program has not established needed internal controls to ensure effective operations.

Report: Examination of Costs Claimed Under Cooperative Agreement X7-83325501 Awarded to Kathleen S. Hill, Chiloquin, Oregon

Report #12-4-0224, January 23, 2012. Kathleen S. Hill did not have a financial management system that met federal standards.

Report: EPA Data Standards Plan Completed But Additional Steps Are Needed

Report #12-P-0519, June 5, 2012. The actions taken by EPA were either incomplete or lacked steps to help management determine the overall effectiveness of the Agency’s implementation of data standards.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Security Planning and Remediation of Identified Weaknesses in Systems Used to Protect Human Health and the Environment

Report #16-P-0006, Oct 14, 2015. EPA’s network security is essential to provide the information, technology and services necessary to advance the protection of human health and the environment.

Report: EPA Superfund Contract Initiatives and Controls to Reduce Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

Report #12-P-0360, March 16, 2012. We identified three EPA initiatives related to Superfund contracting controls.

Report: EPA Office of Inspector General’s Report on Reducing Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in the Small Business Innovative Research Program, as Required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, Pub. L. 112-81 (2012)

September 28, 2012. The EPA OIG is required by Section 5143 of the NDA Act for Fiscal Year 201 2, Pub. L. No. 112-81 (2012), to report on reducing vulnerability to fraud, waste and abuse in the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program.

Report: Improvements Needed in Estimating and Leveraging Cost Savings Across EPA

Report #13-P-0028, October 22, 2012. Regions 4 and 7, which were the focus of our review, did not apply reliable methods for estimating savings and cost avoidances.

Report: EPA Can Improve Its Reporting of Dollars Leveraged From the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Brownfields Program

Report #12-R-0898, Sept 27, 2012. EPA project officers verified grant recipient reported outputs and outcomes for Recovery Act brownfields assessments completed, acres ready for reuse, and cleanups completed, but did not always verify dollars leveraged.