Science & Technology

Report: EPA's Compliance Monitoring Activities, Enforcement Actions, and Enforcement Results Generally Declined from Fiscal Years 2006 Through 2018

Report #20-P-0131, March 31, 2020. This report focuses on national trends in the EPA's enforcement efforts, including inspections, enforcement actions, and enforcement results.

Report: Management Alert - Prompt Action Needed to Inform Residents Living Near Ethylene Oxide-Emitting Facilities About Health Concerns and Actions to Address Those Concerns

Report #20-N-0128, March 31, 2020. The EPA needs to inform residents who live near facilities with significant ethylene oxide emissions about their elevated estimated cancer risks so they can manage their health risks.

Report: EPA Did Not Accurately Report Under the Grants Oversight and New Efficiency Act and Needs to Improve Timeliness of Expired Grant Closeouts

Report #20-P-0126, March 31, 2020. As of September 2019, the EPA had $8.3 million in undisbursed balances for grant awards that expired one year or more prior. These funds could have been used to achieve EPA environmental goals.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Its Risk Management and Incident Response Information Security Functions

Report #20-P-0120, March 24, 2020. Further implementation of risk management activities and incident response tools are needed to combat cybersecurity threats intended to steal and destroy confidential and sensitive information.

Report: Management Controls Needed to Verify and Report Border 2020 Program Accomplishments

Report #20-P-0083, February 18, 2020. Border 2020 Program successes in improving environmental conditions and public health cannot be fully known or documented without stronger management controls.

Report: External Peer Review Report on the EPA OIG Audit Organization

June 29, 2018 - DoD OIG has reviewed the system of quality control for the EPA OIG audit organization in effect for the year ended September 30, 2017.

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.

Report: EPA Should Conduct More Oversight of Synthetic-Minor-Source Permitting to Assure Permits Adhere to EPA Guidance

Without clear and enforceable limitations in synthetic-minor-source permits, facilities may emit excess pollution that would otherwise subject them to the more stringent requirements of the Clean Air Act major-source permitting programs.

Report of Investigation: Mr. Ryan Jackson, Senior Executive Service, and Mr. Charles Munoz, GS-15

This report of investigation pertains to the actions of former EPA Chief of Staff Ryan Jackson and former Senior Advisor to the Region 9 Administrator Charles Munoz.

Report: EPA Does Not Always Adhere to Its Established Action Development Process for Rulemaking

Report #21-P-0115, March 31, 2021. ADP goals are to deliver actions that are based on sound science, promote economic efficiency, and are implementable and enforceable.

Report: EPA Needs to Substantially Improve Oversight of Its Military Leave Processes to Prevent Improper Payments

Report #21-P-0042, December 28, 2020. The EPA paid 124 reservists about $1.4 million in military leave pay from January 2017 through June 2019. We identified potential improper payments of $129,000 related to 104 of the 1,628 payroll transactions audited.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Oversight of How States Implement Air Emissions Regulations for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills

Report #20-P-0236, July 30, 2020. Effective EPA oversight of state implementation of landfill air emissions requirements helps achieve air quality, public health, and environmental goals set by the Clean Air Act.

Report: Despite Requirements of Inspector General Act, Chief of Staff Refuses to Provide Agency Information for OIG Evaluation; EPA Whistleblower Training Does Not Address Interference with or Intimidation of Congressional Witnesses

Report #20-E-0053, December 10, 2019. By refusing to provide requested information to the OIG, the Chief of Staff is not complying with the Inspector General Act and the Administrator's memorandum on cooperating with the OIG...

Report: Follow-Up Audit - EPA Took Steps to Improve Records Management

Report #19-P-0283, August 27, 2019. The EPA's FOIA guidance needs updating to comply with federal requirements.

Report: EPA's 2017 Glider Vehicle Testing Complied with Standard Practices

Report #19-P-0252, July 31, 2019. The EPA's 2017 glider vehicle testing complied with EPA standard practices.

Report: U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board's Compliance for Fiscal Year 2018 with Improper Payments Legislation and Guidance

Report #19-N-0070, February 12, 2019. Pursuant to our role under the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (IPERA) of 2010, we reviewed the CSB's compliance for fiscal year 2018 with improper payments legislation and guidance.

Report: EPA Completed OIG Recommendations for the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program but Lacks Controls over Use of Unverified Results

Report #18-P-0222, July 20, 2018. The EPA discontinued the use of unverified PGCCA results in agency performance metrics, but a lack of documented controls presents risk that these data may be used in the future.

Report: EPA Complied with the Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards No. 47 and Treasury Financial Manual, Part 2, Chapter 4700

Report #18-P-0220, July 12, 2018. Based on our audit, in our opinion, the EPA's classification as a consolidating entity is proper and complete.

Report: Quality Assurance Review of EPA OIG Reports Issued in Fiscal Year 2017

Report #18-N-0219, July 9, 2018. Our audit reports issued in FY 2017 demonstrated high levels of compliance with OIG quality assurance procedures and received compliance scores of nearly 94 percent. Issues identified in FY 2016 have been addressed.

Report: CSB Purchase Card Program at Low Risk for Unauthorized Purchases

Report #18-P-0218, July 3, 2018. The CSB's purchase card program, through which the agency spent $321,241 in FY 2017, is at low risk for unauthorized purchases.