Laws & Regulations

Report: Fiscal Years 2019 and 2018 Financial Statements for the Pesticides Reregistration and Expedited Processing Fund

Report #20-F-0308, September 8, 2020. Federal law requires agency heads to establish and maintain a records program that includes safeguards against the removal or loss of agency records.

Report: Management Alert: EPA Region 5 Needs to Implement Effective Internal Controls to Strengthen Its Records Management Program

Report #20-E-0247, August 31, 2020. Federal law requires agency heads to establish and maintain a records program that includes safeguards against the removal or loss of agency records.

Report: Lack of Planning Risks EPA’s Ability to Meet Toxic Substances Control Act Deadlines

Report #20-P-0247, August 17, 2020. The EPA did not complete a significant TSCA deadline on June 19, 2020, and the Agency is at risk of missing future deadlines due to a lack of staff and resource planning.

Report: EPA Needs to Strengthen Controls Over Required Documentation and Tracking of Intergovernmental Personnel Act Assignments

Report #20-P-0245, August 10, 2020. The Agency lacks controls to verify that documents are submitted and maintained as required, as well as a reliable system to track employees on IPA assignment.

Report: EPA's Fiscal Years 2018 and 2017 Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund Financial Statements

Report #20-F-0244, August 10, 2020. We found the fund's financial statements to be fairly presented and free of material misstatement.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Oversight of Research Assistance Agreements

Report #20-P-0204, June 30, 2020. The EPA’s lack of compliance with assistance agreement oversight requirements can put EPA research funds at risk.

Report: EPA's Safer Choice Program Would Benefit from Formal Goals and Additional Oversight

Report #20-P-0203, June 30, 2020. Enhancements in the Safer Choice audit process will ensure that consumers and businesses are purchasing products that are safer for people and the environment.

Report: EPA Needs to Address Internal Control Deficiencies in the Agencywide Quality System

Report #20-P-0200, June 22, 2020. After five years and $1.3 million towards the development of an agencywide tracking system, the OMS does not know the status of the agencywide Quality System.

Report: EPA's Office of the Chief Financial Officer Lacks Authority to Make Decisions on Employee-Debt Waiver Requests

Report #20-P-0194, June 15, 2020. The OCFO made unauthorized decisions for employee-debt waiver requests totaling $53,539.

Report: EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Consent Orders Need Better Coordination

Report #20-E-0177, May 28, 2020. Regions need to be aware of the TSCA Section 5(e) Consent Orders in their region, and the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance should approve, in advance, the terms and conditions of each consent order

Report: EPA Needs to Conduct Risk Assessments When Designing and Implementing Programs

Report #20-P-0170, May 18, 2020. By not conducting risk assessments for 20 programs that collectively cost over $5.7 billion in FY 2018, the EPA cannot be certain it has the proper procedures in place to address internal & external risks to these programs.

Report: EPA Oversight Provided Reasonable Controls to Deter and Minimize Trespassing at the Fort Ord Superfund Site

Report #20-E-0169, May 14, 2020. The steps taken by the Army with EPA oversight, combined with planned follow-up actions moving forward, represent a reasonable effort to deter and minimize trespassing.

Report: EPA Complied with Improper Payments Legislation, but Internal Controls Need Substantial Improvement to Ensure More Accurate Reporting

Report #20-P-0167, May 13, 2020. Improvement to processes for preventing and detecting improper payments will result in better use of funds for environmental and supporting programs.

Report: EPA's Processing Times for New Source Air Permits in Indian Country Have Improved, but Many Still Exceed Regulatory Time Frames

Report #20-P-0146, April 22, 2020. Delays in processing tribal-NSR permits could impact construction projects and increase the risk that existing facilities awaiting a permit could be emitting more pollution.

Report: Fiscal Years 2018 and 2017 Financial Statements for the Pesticide Registration Fund

Report #20-F-0135, April 14, 2020. We rendered an unmodified opinion on the EPA's FY 2018 PRIA Fund financial statements and a qualified opinion on the FY 2017 PRIA Fund financial statements.

Report: EPA May Have Overpaid for Its $13 Million Time and Attendance System by Not Following Information Technology Investment Requirements

Report #20-P-0134, April 13, 2020. By not performing cost and alternative analyses, the EPA missed the opportunity to save taxpayer funds.

Report: EPA's Compliance Monitoring Activities, Enforcement Actions, and Enforcement Results Generally Declined from Fiscal Years 2006 Through 2018

Report #20-P-0131, March 31, 2020. This report focuses on national trends in the EPA's enforcement efforts, including inspections, enforcement actions, and enforcement results.

Report: Management Alert - Prompt Action Needed to Inform Residents Living Near Ethylene Oxide-Emitting Facilities About Health Concerns and Actions to Address Those Concerns

Report #20-N-0128, March 31, 2020. The EPA needs to inform residents who live near facilities with significant ethylene oxide emissions about their elevated estimated cancer risks so they can manage their health risks.

Report: EPA Did Not Accurately Report Under the Grants Oversight and New Efficiency Act and Needs to Improve Timeliness of Expired Grant Closeouts

Report #20-P-0126, March 31, 2020. As of September 2019, the EPA had $8.3 million in undisbursed balances for grant awards that expired one year or more prior. These funds could have been used to achieve EPA environmental goals.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Its Risk Management and Incident Response Information Security Functions

Report #20-P-0120, March 24, 2020. Further implementation of risk management activities and incident response tools are needed to combat cybersecurity threats intended to steal and destroy confidential and sensitive information.