Laws & Regulations

Report: EPA Not Fully Compliant With Overtime Policies

Report #15-P-0293, September 22, 2015. The EPA may have incurred overtime charges without proper authorization and advance approval, and did not maintain overtime request forms as required.

Report: EPA Needs Better Management Controls for Approval of Employee Travel

Report #15-P-0294, September 22, 2015. Weak internal controls make EPA travel dollars vulnerable to fraud waste and misuse.

Report: Improvements to EPA Policies and Guidance Could Enhance Protection of Human Study Subjects

Report #14-P-0154, March 31, 2014. The EPA can enhance its human studies by improving how it obtains approval for studies; how it communicates risk to people who participate in EPA studies; and how it addresses adverse events in its guidance.

Report: EPA Compliance With Retention Incentive Regulations and Policies

Report #14-P-0245, May 2, 2014. EPA did not comply with Office of Personnel Management regulations or agency policies on retention incentive pay.

Report: EPA Met or Exceeded Most Internal Climate Change Goals, But Data Quality and Records Management Procedures Need Improvement

Report #14-P-0325, July 29, 2014. Improving data quality and records management procedures can support confidence in the reliability of EPA's progress reports on its climate change goals.

Report: Improvements Needed by EPA to Reduce Risk in Employee Hiring Process

Report #15-P-0253, August 3, 2015. Without verification of prior employment or references, the potential exists that the EPA will not hire the best possible staff, or will hire an employee based on false statements.

Report: Response to Congressional Request Concerning Political Interference in Release of Documents Under the Freedom of Information Act

Report #15-N-0261, August 20, 2015. We did not find any indications of political interference or delay in the release of FOIA documents.

Report: Audit of EPA Passport Controls

Report #14-P-0243, May 1, 2014. EPA needs to strengthen controls for official passports to protect sensitive personally identifiable information.

Report: Chemical Import Data May Help EPA Identify Facilities That Need to File or Update Risk Management Plans

Report #14-N-0239, April 28, 2014. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may want to use chemical import data to help determine whether facilities have a sufficient RMP in place.

Report: Fiscal Year 2020 U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Management Challenges

Report #20-N-0218, July 6, 2020. Unaddressed management challenges will impede the ability of the CSB to function effectively.

Report: EPA OIG Compliance With Retention Incentive Regulations and Policies

Report #14-B-0246, May 2, 2014. Unauthorized retention incentive payments totaling $64,204 were made to EPA OIG employees due to a lack of adequate internal controls and agency follow-up.

Report: EPA’s Initial Implementation of CARES Act Section 3610

Report #20-N-0202, June 29, 2020. The OAS created and provided detailed guidance to EPA contracting personnel and contractors related to reimbursements under Section 3610 of the CARES Act.

Report: Weak Management of a Climate Change Services Contract Creates Risk EPA Did Not Receive Services for Which It Paid

Report #14-P-0272, May 30, 2014. The EPA awards millions of federal dollars to contractors every year. It must have robust oversight and management controls in place to prevent waste and unnecessary spending.

Report: EPA OIG’s Compliance With EPA Passport Guidance

Report #14-B-0244, May 1, 2014. The EPA OIG needs to ensure that it complies with EPA passport guidance to protect sensitive PII.

Report: EPA's Initial Plans for Returning to the Office Incorporate CDC Guidance but Differ by Location

Report #21-E-0030, November 30, 2020. The EPA's initial plans for returning to the office incorporate Centers for Disease Control guidance but differ by location.

Report: CSB Discontinued Information Recovery Testing and Off-Site Backup Storage During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Report #21-E-0016, November 18, 2020. The CSB was at risk of not being able to readily restore information technology operations if they were disrupted during the coronavirus pandemic.

Report: Chemical Fume Hood Testing Improvements Needed to Reduce Health and Safety Risk to EPA Employees

Report #13-P-0363, August 28, 2013. We found that the EPA complied with applicable regulations and guidance in procuring both the chemical fume hood retrofit kits and fume hood testing contracts.

Report: EPA Can Better Document Resolution of Ethics and Partiality Concerns in Managing Clean Air Federal Advisory Committees

Report #13-P-0387, September 11, 2013. In general, the EPA managed the CASAC and Council in accordance with applicable statutes and regulations.

Report: EPA Has Sufficiently Managed Emergency Responses During the Pandemic but Needs to Procure More Supplies and Clarify Guidance

Report #20-E-0332, September 28, 2020. On-scene coordinators may not be safe deploying during the COVID-19 pandemic without sufficient personal protective equipment and clear guidance.

Report: Early Warning Report: Internal Controls and Management Actions Concerning John C. Beale Pay Issues

Report #14-P-0036, December 11, 2013. The fraud committed by John C. Beale was enabled by ineffective internal controls and a lack of management attention.