Science & Technology

Report: EPA Has Not Reported to Congress on BEACH Act Progress as Statutorily Required or Fully Documented Budget Decisions

Report #18-P-0071, January 18, 2018. Failure to submit required reports and keep required records limits congressional, public and EPA knowledge about the impact of the agency's BEACH Act program and decisions regarding the use of taxpayer dollars.

Report: Follow-Up Review - EPA Completed OIG Recommendations for Superfund Site in Libby, Montana

Report #18-P-0074, January 24, 2018. The EPA took corrective actions that enabled the Libby toxicity assessment to be completed with transparency and that provided stakeholders with important human exposure information.

Report: EPA Can Better Manage State Pesticide Cooperative Agreements to More Effectively Use Funds and Reduce Risk of Pesticide Misuse

Report #18-P-0079, February 13, 2018. Improvements in developing and monitoring FIFRA compliance inspection work plans support effective and efficient use of enforcement funding and risk management.

Report: EPA Needs to Evaluate the Impact of the Revised Agricultural Worker Protection Standard on Pesticide Exposure Incidents

Report #18-P-0080, February 15, 2018. Revisions to the standard are intended to reduce exposure to pesticides and provide enhanced protection to agricultural workers, pesticide handlers and their families.

Report: EPA Can Achieve Better Value by Complying With Performance-Based Contract Requirements

Report #18-P-0089, February 20, 2018. Over $290 million awarded in performance-based contracts could have been put to better use if the EPA had not granted award terms for less-than-superior service.

Report: Differences in Processing Practices Could Decrease the Reliability of Ozone Data Used for Assessing Air Quality to Protect Public Health

Report #18-P-0105, February 28, 2018. There is a risk that the state, local and tribal agencies that monitor ambient air quality are not always implementing the EPA’s recommended QA practices for validating ozone data.

Report: EPA Did Not Use Allegedly Flawed Studies to Estimate Methane Emissions or Set New Source Performance Standards for Oil and Natural Gas Production

Report #18-P-0129, March 16, 2018. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas emitted from natural and industrial sources, including oil and natural gas production facilities.

Report: EPA's Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research Program Is Delivering Timely and Relevant Data to the Office of Water

Report #18-P-0151, April 9, 2018. The ORD's SSWR research program delivers timely and relevant research to the OW that is used to protect America’s waters.

Report: EPA Complied With Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act Requirements

Report #18-P-0153, April 16, 2018. Through compliance with IPERA, the EPA provides better assurance that efforts are being made to reduce improper payments.

Report: Management Alert - Salary Increases for Certain Administratively Determined Positions

Report #18-N-0154, April 16, 2018. The purpose of this alert is to notify the EPA of certain factual info while our audit of the Office of the Administrator's (present and prior administrations) use of administratively determined positions continues.

Report: EPA's Fiscal Year 2018 Management Challenges

Report #18-N-0174, May 8, 2018. Attention to agency management challenges could result in program improvements and protection for the public, and increased confidence in management integrity and accountability.

Report: CSB Complied With Improper Payments Legislation Requirements for Fiscal Year 2017

Report #18-P-0175, May 9, 2018. The CSB is fully compliant with the reporting requirements of improper payments legislation.

Report: EPA Region 5 Needs to Better Protect Information Technology Property, and Areas for Agencywide Improvement Exist

Report #18-P-0176, May 9, 2018. A lack of sufficient controls for managing IT property creates vulnerability to fraud, waste and abuse, including potential theft and misuse.

Report: EPA Did Not Identify Volkswagen Emissions Cheating; Enhanced Controls Now Provide Reasonable Assurance of Fraud Detection

Report #18-P-0181, May 15, 2018. After uncovering VW's emissions fraud, the EPA's light-duty vehicle compliance program added controls to effectively detect and prevent noncompliance—a precursor to potential fraud.

Semiannual Report to Congress: October 1, 2017 - March 31, 2018

Report #EPA-350-R-18-001, May 29, 2018. For the semiannual reporting period ending March 31, 2018, the EPA OIG saw a significant increase in congressional requests for audits and investigations.

Report: Atlanta Is Largely in Compliance with Its Combined Sewer Overflow Consent Decree, but Has Not Yet Met All Requirements

Report #18-P-0206, May 30, 2018. Decreases in sewage overflows from Atlanta's wastewater treatment facilities and sewage transmission pipes reduce the risk of city residents being exposed to pathogens.

Report: Operational Efficiencies of EPA's Human Resources Shared Service Centers Not Measured

Report #18-P-0207, May 31, 2018. Without a baseline for HR operations and HR staff, the EPA is unable to determine efficiencies in HR operations.

Report: Fiscal Year 2018 U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Management Challenges

Report #18-N-0208, June 4, 2018. The CSB faces two management challenges that, if not addressed, may seriously impede the agency’s ability to achieve its mission efficiently and effectively.

Annual Plan for the EPA and CSB - FY 2018

Nov 9, 2017. FY 2018 plan reflects the priority work that the OIG believes is necessary to keep the EPA Administrator, the CSB, and Congress fully informed about problems and deficiencies relating to the administration of agency programs and operations.

Report: Management Alert - To Minimize Risk of Environmental Harm, the Security Categorization of Electronic Manifest System Data Needs to Be Re-Evaluated

Report #18-P-0217, June 21, 2018. A breach of hazardous material information within e-Manifest may facilitate terrorist or other criminal activities.