Laws & Regulations

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: 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.

Report: Time and Attendance Fraud Not Identified for Employees on Extended Absence, But Matters of Concern Brought to EPA’s Attention

Report #15-P-0167, June 15, 2015. We identified concerns over the accuracy of time charges, use of a personal computer, and safety of telework space for reasonable accommodations.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Management of the Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Regulation Program in Order to Strengthen Protection of Human Health and the Environment

Report #14-P-0143, March 21, 2014. An absence in management controls could lead the EPA to receive electronic documents that are unacceptable in administrative or judicial enforcement proceedings.

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: Fiscal Years 2012 and 2011 (Restated) Financial Statements for the Pesticide Registration Fund

Report #14-1-0042, December 17, 2013. The agency corrected material misstatements due to weaknesses in internal controls we identified.

Report: The EPA’s Comments Improve the Environmental Impact Statement Process But Verification of Agreed-Upon Actions Is Needed

Report #13-P-0352, August 22, 2013. We found that federal agencies are making changes to their EISs to mitigate or eliminate potential environmental risks based on the EPA’s comments.

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.

Report: The EPA Needs to Improve Timeliness and Documentation of Workforce and Workload Management Corrective Actions

Report #13-P-0366, August 30, 2013. The EPA did not complete the majority of the corrective actions relating to workload and workforce management within planned timeframes.

Report: Limitations on the EPA’s Authority Under the Safe Drinking Water Act Resulted in Unaddressed Concerns at a Tribal Drinking Water Plant

Report #13-P-0308, July 2, 2013.In 2007, prior to providing funding to the FBIC DWTP project, the EPA contracted with Rural and Tribal Environmental Solutions to provide plan and specification reviews for public water system construction in Indian Country.

Report: Controls and Oversight Needed to Improve Administration of EPA’s Customer Service Lines

Report #13-P-0432, September 26, 2013. The EPA has a variety of resources—including telephone hotlines, Web clearinghouses, and other online reference information—which the OIG has categorized as customer service lines (CSLs).

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Air Emissions Data for the Oil and Natural Gas Production Sector

Report #13-P-0161, February 20, 2013. High levels of growth in the oil and natural gas (gas) production sector have underscored the need for EPA to gain a better understanding of emissions and potential risks from the production of oil and gas.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Safeguards for Personally Identifiable Information

Report #14-P-0122, February 24, 2014. The lack of stronger privacy program processes and procedures places the EPA’s sensitive PII at a greater risk of compromise and misuse.

Report: EPA Can Better Assure Continued Operations at National Computer Center Through Complete and Up-to-Date Documentation for Contingency Planning

Report #15-P-0136, April 9, 2015. Timely recovery of NCC operations from a disaster may be hindered by the lack of documented information needed for the full functioning of all NCC operations.

Report: Internal Controls Needed to Control Costs of Superfund Technical Assessment & Response Team Contracts, as Exemplified in Region 7

Report #15-P-0215, July 20, 2015. Lack of oversight led to unallowable billings of $82,322 and noncompliance with contract terms and conditions.

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: More Action Is Needed to Protect Water Resources From Unmonitored Hazardous Chemicals

Report #14-P-0363, September 29, 2014. EPA does not have mechanisms to address discharge of hazardous chemicals into water resources.

Report on the External Quality Control Review of the U.S. EPA's OIG

HHS OIG conducted this review in accordance with the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency guidelines and discussed the review with you and members of your staff on April 5, 2012.

Report: Audit of EPA’s Fiscal Years 2014 and 2013 (Restated) Consolidated Financial Statements

Report #15-1-0021, November 17, 2014. We found the EPA's financial statements to be fairly presented and free of material misstatement.

Report: Quick Reaction Report: EPA Should Ensure Positions Vacated Under Buyouts Are Eliminated or Properly Filled

Report #15-P-0184, July 14, 2015.The EPA paid staff up to $25,000 each to voluntarily separate from federal employment, but in some cases replaced them without modifying the positions. The EPA needs to improve its controls over this in light of the current