Science & Technology

Report: Management Alert - Destruction of a Document Used to Certify Security of EPA's Budget Formulation System

Report #19-N-0085, March 8, 2019. It has come to our attention that personnel within the EPA's Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) destroyed an employee's notes.

Report: Management Alert - Hotline Concerns over Region 9 Regional Administrator's Duty Station and Travel

Report #19-N-0087, March 21, 2019. The EPA OIG initiated an assignment to address a hotline complaint regarding Michael Stoker, the Region 9 Regional Administrator.

Report: EPA's Fiscal Years 2017 and 2016 Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund Financial Statements

Report #19-F-0086, March 18, 2019. We found the fund's financial statements to be fairly presented and free of material misstatements.

Report: Management Alert - Certain Toxic Release Inventory Data Disclosed to the Public Are Inaccurate

Report #19-N-0115, April 8, 2019. The EPA's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data pertaining to releases of hazardous substances from Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) are inaccurate.

Report: Corrective Actions and Additional Guidance Have Improved EPA's Fiscal Responsibility over Superfund Interagency Agreements

Report #19-P-0146, May 7, 2019. The agency's corrective actions in response to the OIG's 2007 audit of Superfund IAs directly contributed to improved fiscal responsibility over USACE IAs.

Report: CSB Still Needs to Improve Its 'Incident Response' and 'Identity and Access Management' Information Security Functions

Report #19-P-0147, May 9, 2019. The CSB lacks established procedures for automated processes and authentication technologies, which could permit unauthorized access to agency systems.

Report: EPA Region 5 Needs to Act on Transfer Request and Petition Regarding Ohio's Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Permit Program

Report #19-N-0154, May 15, 2019. EPA Region 5's lack of timely decisions on program transfer requests and petitions leave state programs without clarity and petitioners unaware of petition status.

Report: Actions Needed to Strengthen Controls over the EPA Administrator's and Associated Staff's Travel

Report #19-P-0155, May 16, 2019. Actions need to be taken to strengthen controls over Administrator travel to help prevent the potential for fraud, waste and abuse.

Report: Fiscal Year 2019 U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Management Challenges

Report #19-N-0156, May 20, 2019. The CSB faces two challenges in FY 2019 that, if not addressed, may impede its ability to efficiently and effectively achieve its mission or meet its goals.

Report: EPA Overpaid Invoices Due to Insufficient Contract Management Controls

Report #19-P-0157, May 20, 2019. All 11 invoices tested did not comply with contract requirements.

Report: Insufficient Practices for Managing Known Security Weaknesses and System Settings Weaken EPA's Ability to Combat Cyber Threats

Report #19-P-0158, May 21, 2019. Missing POA&M data and incorrect security settings limit the EPA's ability to manage enterprise risk and strengthen its security procedures.

Semiannual Report to Congress: October 1, 2018 - March 31, 2019

Report #EPA-350-R-19-001, May 2019. Midway through FY 2019, we pause to take stock of the progress that the EPA's OIG has made toward assisting the agency in the mission of improving human health and the environment.

Report: EPA Complied with Improper Payments Legislation but Stronger Internal Controls Are Needed

Report #19-P-0163, May 31, 2019. Improvements to processes for preventing and detecting improper payments will result in better use of funds for environmental and supporting programs.

Report: EPA Demonstrates Effective Controls for Its On-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicle Compliance Program; Further Improvements Could Be Made

Report #19-P-0168, June 3, 2019. The EPA's HD vehicle compliance program currently has controls to effectively detect and prevent noncompliance—a precursor to potential fraud.

Report: Quality Assurance Review of EPA OIG Audit Assignments Completed in Fiscal Year 2018

Report #19-N-0167, June 4, 2019. OIG audit reports issued in FY 2018 demonstrated high levels of compliance with OIG quality assurance procedures, receiving average compliance scores of 94 percent.

Report: Management Implication Report Concerning the EPA's Process for Certifying that EPA Attorneys Possess an Active Bar Membership

June 20, 2019 - The EPA OIG has identified a control issue concerning the EPA's annual process of confirming that its attorneys maintain an active bar membership. This report resulted from an investigation, rather than an audit or evaluation.

Report: Pesticide Registration Fee, Vulnerability Mitigation and Database Security Controls for EPA’s FIFRA and PRIA Systems Need Improvement

Report #19-P-0195, June 21, 2019. Proper vulnerability testing, fee registration and database controls are essential to the security of the EPA's FIFRA and PRIA systems.

Report: EPA Complied with Applicable Laws and Rules for the July 2017 Superfund Task Force Report but Could Improve Transparency

Report #19-P-0201, June 24, 2019. Emphasizing the role of EPA career staff in the Superfund Task Force would have enhanced the transparency of the project and perhaps alleviated public concerns about the process.

Report: EPA Effectively Screens Air Emissions Data from Continuous Monitoring Systems but Could Enhance Verification of System Performance

Report #19-P-0207, June 27, 2019. Data from CEMS are used to determine whether sources, such as power plants, comply with emissions limits designed to improve air quality and achieve environmental and public health goals.

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