Laws & Regulations

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

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: Limited Oil Spill Funding Since the Enbridge Spill Has Delayed Abandoned Oil Well Cleanups; Emergency Oil Responses Not Impacted

Report #13-P-0370, September 4, 2013. We reviewed specific hotline allegations.

Report: EPA Needs to Update Its Pesticide and Chemical Enforcement Penalty Policies and Practices

Report #13-P-0431, September 26, 2013. We found that EPA regions differed in how they documented decisions and justified penalties related to FIFRA and TSCA enforcement penalty reductions.

Report: Fiscal Year 2013 Federal Information Security Management Act Report

Report #14-P-0033, November 26, 2013. The EPA’s network and data could be exploited without processes to evaluate risks and timely remediate vulnerabilities. Data processed by EPA contractors could be at risk because adequate controls may not be in place.

Report: EPA’s Oversight of State Pesticide Inspections Needs Improvement to Better Ensure Safeguards for Workers, Public and Environment Are Enforced

Report #15-P-0156, May 15, 2015. Improvements in the EPA's inspection report review process will increase assurance that state inspections are preventing unreasonable risk to human health and the environment from pesticides.

Report: EPA Needs to Clarify Its Claim of “No Net Loss” of Wetlands

Report #14-P-0191, April 16, 2014. The EPA can improve performance reports by indicating that achieving “no net loss” is based on the assumption that all mitigation projects will meet performance standards.

Report: Follow-Up Report: EPA Proposes to Streamline the Review, Management and Disposal of Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals

Report #15-P-0260, August 19, 2015. EPA states that it intends to issue a proposed rule, Management Standards for Hazardous Waste, which will attempt to streamline the approach to managing and disposing of hazardous and nonhazardous pharmaceutical waste.

Report: Quick Reaction Report: Complete and Clear Information on the Effectiveness of Ebola Disinfectants Will Better Inform the Public

Report #15-P-0064, January 21, 2015. The EPA's Web pages should have ongoing, clear information about the effectiveness of disinfectants for use against the Ebola virus.

Report: EPA’s Information Systems and Data Are at Risk Due to Insufficient Training of Personnel With Significant Information Security Responsibilities

Report #14-P-0142, March 21, 2014. The EPA places its information systems and data at risk due to an organizational structure that has not specified required duties and responsibilities to ensure personnel are trained on key information security roles.