Laws & Regulations

Report: EPA Needs to Assess Environmental and Economic Benefits of Completed Clean Water State Revolving Fund Green Projects

Report #16-P-0162, May 2, 2016. The EPA needs to collect and evaluate data on the environmental and economic benefits of over $3.24 billion in public funds invested in green projects from 2009 through 2014.

Report: EPA Should Timely Deobligate Unneeded Contract, Purchase and Miscellaneous Funds

Report #16-P-0135, April 11, 2016. When the EPA does not deobligate unliquidated obligations timely, the funds cannot be used for other EPA environmental activities that would benefit human health and the environment.

Report: EPA Offices Are Aware of the Agency’s Science to Achieve Results Program, but Challenges Remain in Measuring and Internally Communicating Research Results That Advance the Agency’s Mission

Report #16-P-0125, March 30, 2016. Although the EPA awards an average of over $46 million annually in STAR grants, challenges remain in measuring and communicating research results.

Report: EPA's Fiscal Year 2015 Purchase Card and Convenience Check Program Assessed as Low Risk

Report #16-P-0124, March 29, 2016. We determined the EPA's purchase card and convenience check program for FY 2015 to be at a low risk for illegal, improper or erroneous purchases and payments due to strengthened internal controls.

Report: No Intent to Underestimate Costs Was Found, but Supporting Documentation for EPA’s Final Rule Limiting Sulfur in Gasoline Was Incomplete or Inaccurate in Several Instances

Report #16-P-0122, March 29, 2016. Inaccurate or incomplete documentation of the EPA's cost modeling could prevent a third party from obtaining a full and accurate understanding of how the EPA arrived at its cost estimate for the Tier 3 rule.

Report: CSB Did Not Follow Federal Guidance While Managing the Vantage Contract

Report #16-P-0112, March 24, 2016. By not following Federal Acquisition Regulation requirements, the CSB’s $125,000 Vantage contract was at risk for mismanagement.

Report: Management of Overtime Improved at EPA’s Immediate Office of Air and Radiation

Report #16-P-0111, March 24, 2016. An OAR employee may have incurred unnecessary overtime costs, and incurred improper administrative leave charges, Request for Overtime Authorization forms (EPA Form 2560-7)

Report: CSB Complied With Improper Payment Legislation Requirements for Fiscal Year 2015

Report #16-P-0109, March 23, 2016. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is fully compliant with the reporting requirements of improper payments legislation.

Report: Compendium of Open and Unresolved Recommendations: Data as of March 31, 2021

Report #21-N-0191, August 4, 2021. This compendium analyzes the open and unresolved recommendations listed in the semiannual report covering our work from October 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021.

Report: Positioning EPA for the Digital Age Requires New Mindsets Toward Printing

Report #16-P-0107, March 21, 2016. The EPA’s main authoritative guidance for printing operations (Printing Management Manual) is over 20 years old and outdated.

Report: EPA Has Not Met Statutory Requirements for Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility Inspections, but Inspection Rates Are High

Report #16-P-0104, March 11, 2016. Although the EPA’s overall inspection completion rate is high, the agency did not fully meet the legal requirement for inspecting 100 percent of operating TSDFs for fiscal year 2014.

Report: Follow-Up - EPA Has Developed Measures to Improve Training for Risk Management Program Inspectors

Report #16-P-0101, March 10, 2016. The corrective actions taken by the agency are complete and meet the intent of OIG Recommendations 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6.

Report: Fiscal Year 2015 Federal Information Security Modernization Act Report: Status of CSB’s Information Security Program

Report #16-P-0086, January 27, 2016. The effectiveness of the CSB’s information security program is challenged by its lack of personal identity verification cards for logical access, complete system inventory.

Report: EPA’s Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment: Obtainable Records Show EPA Followed Required Procedures Without Bias or Predetermination, but a Possible Misuse of Position Noted

Report #16-P-0082, January 13, 2016. The EPA addressed guidelines and followed policies and procedures when conducting the Bristol Bay watershed assessment.

Report: CSB's Fiscal Year 2015 Management Challenges

Report #16-N-0018, Oct 22, 2015. Attention to CSB management challenges could result in stronger results and protection for the public, and increased confidence in management integrity and accountability.

Report: CSB's Fiscal Year 2012 Management Challenges

The EPA Office of Inspector General is beginning work to update our list of areas we consider to be the key management challenges confronting the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.

Report: EPA's Fiscal Year 2015 Management Challenges

Report #15-N-0164, May 28, 2015. Attention to agency management challenges could result in stronger results and protection for the public, and increased confidence in management integrity and accountability.

Report: Fiscal Years 2018 and 2017 Financial Statements for the Pesticides Reregistration and Expedited Processing Fund

Report #20-F-0184, June 1, 2020. We rendered an unmodified opinion on the EPA’s FY 2018 FIFRA Fund financial statements and a qualified opinion on the EPA’s FY 2017 FIFRA Fund financial statements.

Report: EPA Complied with Applicable Laws and Rules for the July 2017 Superfund Task Force Report but Could Improve Transparency

Report #19-P-0201, June 24, 2019. Emphasizing the role of EPA career staff in the Superfund Task Force would have enhanced the transparency of the project and perhaps alleviated public concerns about the process.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Oversight of the Senior Environmental Employment Program

Report #19-P-0198, June 24, 2019. The SEE program can reduce the risk of fraud, waste and abuse and make the program more efficient through additional controls.