Laws & Regulations

Report: EPA's FYs 2020–2021 Top Management Challenges

Report #20-N-0231, July 21, 2020. Identifying and resolving top management challenges is essential to the EPA's protection of human health and the environment.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Processes for Updating Guidance, Monitoring Corrective Actions, and Managing Remote Access for External Users

Report #21-E-0124, April 16, 2021. Deficiencies in the EPA’s information technology internal controls could be used to exploit weaknesses in Agency applications and hinder the EPA’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging cyberthreats.

Report: EPA Did Not Conduct Agencywide Risk Assessment of CARES Act Appropriations, Increasing Risk of Fraud, Waste, Abuse, and Mismanagement

Report #21-E-0128, May 4, 2021. The OIG documented and assessed the internal controls that the EPA implemented to mitigate risks of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement over the CARES Act appropriations.

Report: EPA Complied With Improper Payment Legislation, But Opportunities for Improvement Exist

Report #15-P-0152, May 1, 2015. The EPA can improve the accuracy of its annual report through changes to its improper payment identification and reporting procedures.

Report: Resource Constraints, Leadership Decisions, and Workforce Culture Led to a Decline in Federal Enforcement

Report #21-P-0132, May 13, 2021. A decline in the EPA's enforcement activities may expose the public and the environment to undetected harmful pollutants.

Report: EPA Deviated from Typical Procedures in Its 2018 Dicamba Pesticide Registration Decision

Report #21-E-0146, May 24, 2021. The EPA needs to document and follow established procedures to ensure scientifically sound decisions regarding pesticides.

Report: EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory Has Taken Steps to Mitigate Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic on Mobile Source Emission Compliance

Report #21-E-0158, June 7, 2021. The OIG determined how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted laboratory operations and testing at the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Report: Improvements Needed to Ensure EPA Terminates Exceptions to Biweekly Pay Limits at Completion of Emergency Response Work

Report #15-P-0170, June 19, 2015. EPA made payments totaling $4,141 to employees in excess of biweekly pay limits because authorized exceptions were not terminated at the end of emergency response work.

Report: EPA’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program Has Made Limited Progress in Assessing Pesticides

Report #21-E-0186, July 28, 2021. Without the required testing and an effective system of internal controls, the EPA cannot make measurable progress toward complying with statutory requirements or safeguarding human health and the environment against risks

Report: EPA Needs to Measure and Track Performance of Programs Eliminated in President’s Budget but Later Funded by Congress

Report #21-E-0219, September 2, 2021. Without internal controls to track ETF program performance, the EPA risks underreporting environmental and human health outcomes.

Report: EPA Should Improve Compliance with Blanket Purchase Agreement Requirements

Report #21-P-0192, August 9, 2021. The EPA could achieve cost savings and potentially put Agency funds to better use by improving compliance with BPA requirements.

Report: OIG Office of Investigations' Records Demonstrate Compliance with Law Enforcement Availability Pay Requirements

Report #18-B-0228, August 6, 2018. The 2017 LEAP certifications from criminal investigators in the OIG's Office of Investigations were fully supported.

Report: EPA Oversight over Enterprise Customer Service Solution Needs Improvement

Report #19-P-0278, August 19, 2019. Ineffective project oversight limits the agency's ability to balance IT investments at the lowest cost while addressing agency needs.

Report: The EPA Met 2018 Water Security Requirements but Needs to Improve Oversight to Support Water System Compliance

Report #22-F-0060, September 26, 2022. We found the fund’s financial statements to be fairly presented and free of material misstatement.

Report: Improved Data and EPA Oversight Are Needed to Assure Compliance With the Standards for Benzene Content in Gasoline

Report #17-P-0249, June 8, 2017. Program improvements can reduce the risk that benzene in gasoline exceeds legal limits.

Report: Office of Inspector General Scientific Analysis of Perchlorate

Report #10-P-0101, April 19, 2010. EPA should conduct a cumulative risk assessment to reduce the uncertainty in characterizing the public health risk posed by perchlorate.

Report: Corrective Actions and Additional Guidance Have Improved EPA's Fiscal Responsibility over Superfund Interagency Agreements

Report #19-P-0146, May 7, 2019. The agency's corrective actions in response to the OIG's 2007 audit of Superfund IAs directly contributed to improved fiscal responsibility over USACE IAs.

Report: The CSB Is at Increased Risk of Losing Significant Data as Vulnerabilities Are Not Identified and Remediated Timely

The lack of vulnerability scans increases the risk that vulnerabilities are not identified and remediated in a timely manner and could result in data loss or disruption to Agency operations.

Report: EPA's 2018 BEACH Act Report to Congress Does Not Fully Meet Statutory Requirements

Report #20-E-0246, August 13, 2020. EPA issuance of informative BEACH Act reports would allow Congress to make informed program decisions, improve program oversight, and enhance transparency.

Report: Regional Research Programs Address Agency Needs but Could Benefit from Enhanced Project Tracking

Report #19-P-0123, April 18, 2019. Updates to the RSP tracking system would improve how ORD documents and communicates the benefits of regional research programs.