Science & Technology

Report: Brownfields Program-Income Monitoring Deficiencies Persist Because the EPA Did Not Complete All Certified Corrective Actions

Report #22-P-0033, March 31, 2022. The OBLR did not complete all certified corrective actions and still lacks current and accurate information needed to monitor an estimated $46.6 million of program income.

Report: EPA's Fiscal Year 2020 Fourth-Quarter Compliance with the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014

Report #22-P-0001, November 8, 2021. The DATA Act requires the EPA to report accurate financial and award data on USAspending.gov.

Report: EPA Needs to Strengthen Its Purchase Card Approval Process

Report #21-P-0242, September 22, 2021. The Agency needs to improve oversight of its approximately $25 million in annual purchase card and convenience check expenses to be better stewards of taxpayer dollars.

Report: EPA Effectively Planned for Future Remote Access Needs but Should Disconnect Unneeded Services in Timely Manner

Report #21-P-0241, September 20, 2021. Because the EPA did not disconnect unneeded GSA services in a timely manner, the Agency paid at least $7,850 for services it was not using.

Report: EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management Lacked a Nationally Consistent Strategy for Communicating Health Risks at Contaminated Sites

Report #21-P-0223, September 9, 2021. As part of its mission to protect human health, the EPA communicates risks from contaminated sites to the public.

Report: EPA Does Not Consistently Monitor Hazardous Waste Units Closed with Waste in Place or Track and Report on Facilities That Fall Under the Two Responsible Programs

Report #21-P-0114, March 29, 2021. The EPA’s inspection frequency of TSDFs with RCRA units closed with waste in place does not meet the EPA’s statutory requirement or policy.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Processes for Securing Region 8’s Local Area Network

Report #20-E-0309, September 10, 2020. Exploitation of vulnerabilities may result in the loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personally identifiable information and scientific data.

Report: Internal Quality Assurance Review of EPA OIG Audit Assignments Completed in Fiscal Year 2019

Report #20-N-0230, July 16, 2020. OIG audit reports issued in FY 2019 demonstrated high levels of compliance with OIG quality assurance procedures, receiving an average compliance score of 92 percent.

Report: EPA's Use of Administratively Determined Positions is Consistent with Its Authority Under the Safe Drinking Water Act

Report #19-P-0279, August 21, 2019. Since 2009, the EPA has made 119 appointments to AD positions consistent with the authority provided by the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Report: EPA Office of Research and Development Needs to Address Barriers to Gathering External Feedback

Report #19-P-0277, August 19, 2019. Surveying non-federal external customers will widen the ORD's reporting under the strategic measure on whether research products meet customer needs.

Report: EPA Needs to Determine Strategies and Level of Support for Overseeing State Managed Pollinator Protection Plans

Report #19-P-0275, August 15, 2019. Honey bee pollination adds more than $15 billion in value to U.S. agricultural crops each year. The number of managed honey bee colonies in the U.S. has declined significantly.

Report: Collecting Additional Performance Data from States Would Help EPA Better Assess the Effectiveness of Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Programs

Report #18-P-0283, September 25, 2018. Inspection and maintenance programs help improve air quality and protect human health by identifying vehicles in need of repair.

Report: Follow-Up Audit - EPA Needs to Strengthen Internal Controls Over Retention Incentives

Report #17-P-0407, September 26, 2017. Additional actions are needed to strengthen internal controls over monitoring and to effectively resolve the cause of the prior audit findings. We question $1,605 of irregular payments.

Report: EPA’s Distribution of Superfund Human Resources Does Not Support Current Regional Workload

Report #17-P-0397, September 19, 2017. Due to insufficient human resources to cover all Superfund site work, some regions have had to slow down or discontinue their efforts to protect human health and the environment.

Report: EPA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution and Public Involvement Contract Needs Better Management

Report #17-P-0380, September 12, 2017. The EPA must provide better assurance that it effectively receives services and correctly pays for billings under this $51 million contract.

Report: EPA’s Travel Card Program at Low Risk for Unauthorized Purchases

Report #17-P-0377, September 6, 2017. Our assessment determined that the EPA’s travel card program is at low risk for unauthorized purchases.

Report: EPA Needs to Increase Oversight of Leave Bank Program to Improve Efficiency and Reduce Risk of Misuse

Report #17-P-0374, August 28, 2017. The stewardship of leave bank resources is vulnerable to fraud, waste and misuse because the EPA has not implemented adequate internal controls.

Report: Fiscal Years 2016 and 2015 Financial Statements for the Pesticide Registration Fund

Report #17-F-0365, August 14, 2017. Due to the material weakness in internal controls noted, the agency cannot provide reasonable assurance that financial data provided for the PRIA Fund accurately reflect the agency’s financial activities and balances.

Report: Fiscal Years 2016 and 2015 Financial Statements for the Pesticides Reregistration and Expedited Processing Fund

Report #17-F-0364, August 14, 2017. Due to the material weakness in internal controls noted, the agency cannot provide reasonable assurance that financial data provided for the FIFRA Fund accurately reflect the agency’s financial activities and balances.

Report: EPA’s Fiscal Years 2016 and 2015 Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund Financial Statements

Report #17-F-0363, August 14, 2017. We found the fund’s financial statements to be fairly presented and free of material misstatements.