Laws & Regulations

Report: Fraud Controls for EPA’s Contract Laboratory Program Are Adequate, but Can Be Strengthened With Formal Risk Assessment and Investigative Information Sharing

Report #17-P-0119, March 6, 2017. The impacts of lab fraud include risks to human health and the undermining of EPA regulatory programs.

Report: Risk for EPA’s Fiscal Year 2016 Purchase Card and Convenience Check Program Warrants an Audit

Report #17-P-0113, February 14, 2017. Our assessment determined that the EPA’s purchase card and convenience check program risk is high enough to warrant an audit.

Report: Status of EPA’s Implementation of the DATA Act

Report #17-P-0050, December 2, 2016. The EPA plans to implement the DATA Act with partial data in May 2017 to comply with the act.

Report: Audit of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board’s Fiscal Years 2016 and 2015 Financial Statements

Report #17-F-0047, November 15, 2016. The CSB Received an unmodified opinion on its fiscal year 2016 financial statements.

Report: EPA's Fiscal Years 2016 and 2015 Consolidated Financial Statements

Report #17-F-0046, November 15, 2016. We found the EPA's financial statements to be fairly presented and free of material misstatement.

Report: CSB Has Effective “Identify” and “Recover” Information Security Functions, but Attention Is Needed in Other Information Security Function Areas

Report #17-P-0045, November 14, 2016. More work is needed by CSB to achieve an overall managed and measurable information security program that can effectively manage cybersecurity risks.

Report: Improvements Needed in EPA's Information Security Program

Report #17-P-0044, November 14, 2016. More work is needed by the EPA to achieve managed and measurable information security function areas to manage cybersecurity risks.

Report: Acquisition Certifications Needed for Managers Overseeing Development of EPA’s Electronic Manifest System

Report #17-P-0029, November 7, 2016. Ineffective project oversight could cause project delays that prolong the EPA's ability to provide emergency responders with data about hazardous waste shipped between generators’ sites and waste management facilities.

Report: Enhanced Controls Needed to Prevent Further Abuse of Religious Compensatory Time

Report #16-P-0333, September 27, 2016. Inadequate controls for Religious Compensatory Time resulted in payouts to employees of $73,514, and may result in additional payouts of up to $81,927. For more information, please click on the link above.

Report: Fiscal Years 2014 and 2013 Financial Statements for the Pesticide Registration Fund

Report #16-F-0323, Sept 22, 2016. Due to the material weakness in internal controls noted, EPA cannot provide reasonable assurance that financial data provided for the PRIA Fund for FY 2014 accurately reflect the agency’s financial activities and balances.

Report: Fiscal Years 2014 and 2013 Financial Statements for the Pesticides Reregistration and Expedited Processing Fund

Report #16-F-0322, September 22, 2016. Due to the material weakness in internal controls noted, EPA cannot provide reasonable assurance that financial data provided for the FIFRA Fund accurately reflect the agency’s financial activities and balances.

Report: Examination of Pilot Peer Review Process for Inspectors General That Follow “Blue Book” Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation

Report #16-N-0317, Sept 21, 2016. A peer review process that measures adherence to all the quality standards for federal Inspector General Inspection and Evaluation offices provides assurance that participating offices are being adequately evaluated.

Report: Manchester Band of Pomo Indians Needs to Improve Its Financial Management System and Demonstrate Completion of Grant Work

Report #16-P-0320, September 21, 2016. The Manchester Band of Pomo Indians' inadequate financial management system, and shortfalls in completing grant tasks, resulted in all costs claimed being questioned.

Report: EPA Needs a Risk-Based Strategy to Assure Continued Effectiveness of Hospital-Level Disinfectants

Report #16-P-0316, September 19, 2016. EPA-registered hospital disinfectants help suppress microbes that cause thousands of serious illnesses every year.

Report: Oregon Health Authority’s Prior Labor-Charging Practices Under EPA Grants Did Not Meet Requirements

Report #16-P-0313, September 12, 2016. The Oregon Health Authority's Public Health Division practice prior to May 2014 of charging labor hours based on budget allocations resulted in more than $12 million in unsupported costs.

Report: Follow-Up Review - EPA Updated Information for Indoor Mold Research Tools

Report #16-P-0308, September 8, 2016. Corrective actions taken by the EPA should help ensure that the public has correct information about EPA approved technology and tools for evaluating indoor mold.

Report: EPA Oversight of Travel Cards Needs to Improve

Report #16-P-0282, August 24, 2016. Improved EPA oversight could increase the agency's annual rebates by $14,000 or more.

Report: EPA Achieved Scientific Benefits When Using Reimbursable Research Agreements, but Better Estimating of In-Kind Costs Is Needed

Report #16-P-0279, August 22, 2016. Developing more reliable cost estimates for in-kind contributions can better reflect the EPA’s research contributions.

Report: EPA Region 9 Needs to Improve Oversight of San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund Grants

Report #16-P-0276, August 22, 2016. When grant documents are not received or reviewed, the risk of fraud, waste and abuse increases.

Report: EPA Has Not Met Certain Statutory Requirements to Identify Environmental Impacts of Renewable Fuel Standard

Report #16-P-0275, August 18, 2016. The EPA, Congress and other stakeholders lack key information on biofuel impacts needed to make science-based decisions about RFS.