Laws & Regulations

Report: Nationwide Identification of Hardrock Mining Sites

Report #2004-P-00005, March 31, 2004. We identified 156 hardrock mining sites nationwide that have the potential to cost between $7 billion and $24 billion total to clean up (at a maximum total cost to EPA of approximately $15 billion).

Report: The Effectiveness of the Office of Children’s Health Protection Cannot Yet Be Determined Quantitatively

Report #2004- P- 00016, May 17, 2004. We found that OCHP has no formal mechanism in place to ensure performance results or assess the relationships between program costs, activities, and results.

Report: EPA’s Final Water Security Research and Technical Support Action Plan May Be Strengthened Through Access to Vulnerability Assessments

Report #2004-P-00023, July 1, 2004. The direct utilization of the vulnerability assessments to identify water security research needs has been advocated by internal and external stakeholders.

Report: Additional Analyses of Mercury Emissions Needed Before EPA Finalizes Rules for Coal-Fired Electric Utilities

Report #2005-P-00003, February 3, 2005. Evidence indicates that EPA senior management instructed EPA staff to develop a Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standard for mercury that would result in national emissions of 34 tons annually.

Report: EPA Needs to Fulfill Its Designated Responsibilities to Ensure Effective BioWatch Program

Report #2005-P-00012, March 23, 2005. EPA did not provide adequate oversight of the sampling operations to ensure quality assurance guidance was adhered to, potentially affecting the quality of the samples taken.

Report: Progress Report on Drinking Water Protection Efforts

Report #2005-P-00021, August 22, 2005. EPA and the States in this sample are making progress at helping water systems better reach Congress’ goal of protecting drinking water from its source to the consumer.

Report: Continued EPA Leadership Will Support State Needs for Information and Guidance on RCRA Financial Assurance

Report #2005-P-00026, September 26, 2005. EPA does not have adequate data on financial assurance at hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities regulated under RCRA.

Report: Audit of EPA’s Fiscal 2005 and 2004 Consolidated Financial Statements

Report #2006-1-00015, November 14, 2005. EPA converted to a new payroll system in fiscal 2005. While EPA was able to resolve many issues arising from the conversion, we noted several reportable conditions.

Report: EPA Office of Air and Radiation and Office of Water Can Further Limit Use of Level-of-Effort Contracts

Report #2006-P-00015, March 14, 2006. OAR and OW need to improve efforts to limit the use of LOE contracts.

Report: Single Audit Report for the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation for the Year Ended June 30, 2004

Report #2006-3-00168, July 26, 2006. The single audit questioned $1,115,721 in labor costs because State employees did not account for their activities in accordance with Federal requirements.

Report: EPA Needs to Better Implement Plan for Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources Used to Respond to Terrorist Attacks and Disasters

Report #2006-P-00022, April 26, 2006. Assignment of formal authority and more accountability is required to ensure the initiatives in the Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources Protection Plan are accomplished in a timely manner.

Report: Weiss, Sugar, Dvorak & Dusek, Ltd., Single Audit of the Delta Institute and Affiliates for Year Ended June 30, 2003

Report #2006-S-00004, August 17, 2006. Weiss, Sugar, Dvorak & Dusek, Ltd., did not have sufficient quality control review procedures in place to ensure that all audit work performed was adequately supported by documentary evidence.

Report: Promising Techniques Identified to Improve Drinking Water Laboratory Integrity and Reduce Public Health Risks

Report #2006-P-00036, September 21, 2006. Within the drinking water sample analysis process we identified hundreds of vulnerabilities that are not addressed by EPA's process.

Report: Information Concerning Superfund Cooperative Agreements with New York and New Jersey

Report #2007-2-00003, October 30, 2006. The Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) requested that the Office of Inspector General obtain information involving obligations for Superfund Cooperative Agreements.

Report: America’s Clean Water Foundation Incurred Costs for EPA Assistance Agreements X82835301, X783142301, and X82672301

Report #2007-4-00045, February 20, 2007. The Foundation did not comply with the financial and program management standards and the procurement standards promulgated in Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 30.