Science & Technology

Report: U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board's Compliance in Fiscal Year 2020 with Improper Payments Legislation and Guidance

Report #21-E-0084, February 23, 2021. The OIG found that the CSB was fully compliant with improper payments legislation and guidance during fiscal year 2020.

Report: Evaluation of EPA’s Compliance with Executive Order 13950 on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping

Report #21-E-0044, December 29, 2020. In response to the EPA’s request, the OIG for the EPA completed an evaluation of the EPA’s compliance with Executive Order 13950, Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping.

Report: Audit of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board's Fiscal Years 2020 and 2019 Financial Statements

Report #21-F-0015, November 16, 2020. The CSB received an unmodified opinion on its fiscal years 2020 and 2019 financial statements.

Report: EPA Can Improve Incident Readiness with Better Management of Homeland Security and Emergency Response Equipment

Report #20-P-0066, Jan 3, 2020. The EPA needs to improve its management of its HS/ER equipment, worth over $40 million, so that it can adequately track the equipment it needs to fulfill its responsibilities during an incident in a cost-effective manner.

Report: Outdated EPA Leave Manual and Control Weaknesses Caused Irregularities in the Office of Air and Radiation's Timekeeping Practices

Report #20-P-0063, December 19, 2019. The Office of Air and Radiation needs policies to increase awareness of and controls to strengthen timekeeping practices.

Report: EPA Must Improve Oversight of Notice to the Public on Drinking Water Risks to Better Protect Human Health

Report #19-P-0318, September 25, 2019. Without reliable information about drinking water, consumers cannot make informed health decisions and the EPA cannot provide effective oversight.

Report: EPA Asserts Statutory Law Enforcement Authority to Protect Its Administrator but Lacks Procedures to Assess Threats and Identify the Proper Level of Protection

Report #18-P-0239, September 4, 2018. Failure to properly justify the level of protective services provided to the Administrator has allowed costs to increase from $1.6 million to $3.5 million in just 11 months.

Report: EPA Needs to Finish Prioritization and Resource Allocation Methodologies for Abandoned Uranium Mine Sites on or Near Navajo Lands

Report #18-P-0233, August 22, 2018. Site prioritization will aid EPA-initiated actions where there is imminent danger at numerous sites in the same area.

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: 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: 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'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: 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 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: 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 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: 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 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: 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: 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.