Laws & Regulations

Report: Results and Benefits Information Is Needed to Support Impacts of EPA’s Superfund Removal Program

Report #13-P-0176, March 11, 2013. EPA does not measure the environmental impact and benefits of the Superfund removal program.

Report: U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Complied With Reporting Requirements of the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act

Report #13-P-0177, March 12, 2013. CSB is fully compliant with the reporting requirements of IPERA, which require all agencies to periodically review all programs and activities that may be susceptible to significant improper payments.

Report: Improvements Needed in EPA Training and Oversight for Risk Management Program Inspections

Report #13-P-0178, March 21, 2013. EPA’s management controls for ensuring inspector training and inspection quality provide limited assurance of the effectiveness of its RMProgram inspections.

Report: Improvements Needed in EPA’s Smartcard Program to Ensure Consistent Physical Access Procedures and Cost Reasonableness

Report #13-P-0200, March 27, 2013. Contrary to its plans, EPA upgraded some less critical facilities prior to its most important facilities (including EPA headquarters).

Report: The EPA Needs to Improve Management of Its School Environmental Health Efforts

Report #13-P-0201, March 27, 2013. The EPA established children’s health as a priority.

Report: Audit of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-Funded Cooperative Agreement 2S-96099601 Awarded to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

Report #13-R-0206, Mar 28, 2013. Ollie Green & Company, the firm hired by the OIG to conduct the audit, found that IDEQ complied with Idaho’s state procurement policies and procedures, as required by 40 CFR §35.6550(a), which referenced 40 CFR §31.36(a).

Report: Review of Hotline Complaint Regarding Residential Soil Contamination in Cherryvale, Kansas

Report #13-P-0207, March 28, 2013. EPA Region 7 screened residential properties for soil contamination during its 2001–2002 removal activities near the former National Zinc Company smelter, but could not provide us with complete documentation.

Report: EPA Should Increase Fixed-Price Contracting for Remedial Actions

Report #13-P-0208, March 28, 2013. EPA continues to rely on high risk cost-reimbursement contracts and time-andmaterials task orders in the Superfund remedial program.

Report: Opportunities for EPA-Wide Improvements Identified During Review of a Regional Time and Materials Contract

Report #13-P-0209, April 4, 2013. EPA Region 9 did not require its contracting personnel to verify that personnel for the contractor had the qualifications necessary to execute contract EPS90804.

Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Title V Permitting Regulations for Greenhouse Gases (GHG) and Establishment of a GHG Significant Emissions Rate Documents

Proposed Revisions to the Prevention of Significant Deterioration
and Title V Permitting Regulations for Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
and Establishment of a GHG Significant Emissions Rate

Report: Review of Hotline Complaint on EPA’s Pre-Award Activities for Multiple Award Contracts at the National Computer Center

Report #13-P-0220, April 15, 2013. We found no evidence to support allegations made in the complaint. However, we determined that the EPA could improve communications with vendors during pre-award activities.

Report: Better Planning, Execution and Communication Could Have Reduced the Delays in Completing a Toxicity Assessment of the Libby, Montana, Superfund Site

Report #13-P-0221, April 17, 2013. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) action officials did not complete planned corrective actions under its Libby Action Plan in a timely manner.

Report: Improvements Needed to Secure IT Assets at EPA-Owned Research Facilities

Report #13-P-0252, May 8, 2013. Facilities management at the Office of Research and Development facilities does not consistently apply, or in some cases establish, controls to protect IT assets.

Briefing Report: Improvements Needed in EPA’s Information Security Program

Report #13-P-0257, May 13, 2013. We found weaknesses in the following Agency programs regarding its information security program and practices.

Report: EPA Oversight Addresses Thermal Variance and Cooling Water Permit Deficiencies But Needs to Address Compliance With Public Notice Requirements

Report #13-P-0264, May 23, 2013. Since the 1980s, EPA has had an oversight process, known as Permit Quality Reviews (PQRs), to promote permit quality and ensure a reasonable degree of national consistency with regard to core program requirements.