Laws & Regulations

Report: EPA Is Not Fully Aware of the Extent of Its Use of Cloud Computing Technologies

Report #14-P-0323, July 24, 2014. EPA officials lack confidence that offices recognize its full use of cloud computing for agency operations.

Report: Improvements Needed in EPA Efforts to Address Methane Emissions From Natural Gas Distribution Pipelines

Report #14-P-0324, July 25, 2014. Methane emissions impact climate change through leaks in natural gas distribution pipelines, and also have economic impacts.

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: Cloud Oversight Resulted in Unsubstantiated and Missed Opportunities for Savings, Unused and Undelivered Services, and Incomplete Policies

Report #14-P-0332, August 15, 2014. Improved oversight could help the EPA achieve objectives for the millions spent for cloud services and identify potential cost savings.

Natural Ocean Well Co. -NPDES Permit No. GM0000008

Natural Ocean Well Co. - NPDES Permit No. GM0000008

Report: Increased Emphasis on Strategic Sourcing Can Result in Substantial Cost Savings for EPA

Report #14-P-0338, August 26, 2014. The EPA could save $30 to $60 million annually by fully implementing its strategic sourcing program.

Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana - Draft NPDES Permit No. LA0127737

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Contract Management Assessment Program Implementation to Mitigate Contracting Vulnerabilities

Report #14-P-0347, September 2, 2014. CMAP will not be fully and optimally implemented until the agency makes needed changes to improve implementation.

Report: Nutrient Pollution: EPA Needs to Work With States to Develop Strategies for Monitoring the Impact of State Activities on the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxic Zone

Report #14-P-0348, September 3, 2014. The EPA lacks necessary data to determine the impact of state nutrient reduction strategies on the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone.

Report: EPA Can Help Consumers Identify Household and Other Products with Safer Chemicals by Strengthening Its “Design for the Environment” Program

Report #14-P-0349, September 9, 2014. Strengthened controls in the DfE program can help consumers better identify safer products.

Report: EPA’s Risk Assessment Division Has Not Fully Adhered to Its Quality Management Plan

Report #14-P-0350, September 10, 2014. Without a robust quality management system, RAD risks making environmental and human health policy decisions that rest on a faulty foundation.

Report: Audits on EPA Recovery Act-Funded Diesel Emission Reduction Act Assistance Agreements Reported Programmatic and Management Challenges

Report #14-R-0355, September 15, 2014. EPA should consider the issues identified in our prior reports as it takes actions directed by the Office of Management and Budget to assess risk inherent in its programs.

Report: Recipient Subawards to Fellows Did Not Comply With Federal Requirements and EPA’s Involvement in Fellow Selection Process Creates the Appearance EPA Could Be Circumventing the Hiring Process

Report #14-P-0357, September 17, 2014. ASPH’s subawards to fellows made under the CA are contrary to federal requirements ... and ... creates an appearance that the EPA could be circumventing the hiring process.

Report: Quality Control Review of EPA Office of Inspector General Reports Issued in Fiscal Year 2013

Report #14-N-0358, September 25, 2014. Monitoring of quality controls is an ongoing, periodic assessment of work to ensure compliance with the OIG’s system of quality control.

Report: EPA’s Alternative Asbestos Control Method Experiments Lacked Effective Oversight and Threatened Human Health

Report #14-P-0359, September 25, 2014. Improving oversight of the EPA's research activities can minimize the risk of waste, noncompliance with EPA rules and policies, and project failures.

Report: Hyperspectral Imaging Can Be a Useful Evaluation Tool for Office of Inspector General Reviews Focused on Contaminated Land

Report #14-N-0360, September 26, 2014. Hyperspectral imaging is an evaluation tool that has specialized value in designing and conducting Office of Inspector General assessments of cleanup actions.