Science & Technology

Report: The EPA Complied with the Payment Integrity Information Act for Fiscal Year 2022

We conducted this audit to determine whether the EPA complied with the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019, or PIIA, and related Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, guidance during fiscal year 2022.

Report: The EPA’s January 2021 PFBS Toxicity Assessment Did Not Uphold the Agency’s Commitments to Scientific Integrity and Information Quality

The EPA did not follow the typical intra-agency review and clearance process during the development and publication of the January 2021 perfluorobutane sulfonic acid, or PFBS, toxicity assessment.

Report: The EPA Is Not on Track to Reach Its National Compliance Initiative Goals to Stop Aftermarket Defeat Devices and Tampered Vehicles

Report #23-E-0006, January 25, 2023.
The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, or OECA, is not on track to achieve ten (25 percent) of the 40 measures and deliverables in its National Compliance Initiative, or NCI, strategic plan.

Report: The EPA Needs to Improve the Transparency of Its Cancer-Assessment Process for Pesticides

Report #22-E-0053, July 20, 2022. Deficiencies and a lack of transparency in the 1,3 D pesticide cancer assessment process has undermined scientific credibility and public confidence.

Report: Additional Internal Controls Would Improve the EPA’s System for Electronic Disclosure of Environmental Violations

Report #22-E-0051, June 30, 2022. Without additional internal controls, the EPA cannot ensure that it effectively screens regulated entities’ self-disclosures of environmental violations to identify and mitigate significant concerns.

Report: The EPA’s Approval and Oversight of Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Loans Complied with Federal Law and Regulations

Based on our audit, we determined that the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 program’s loan award process and subsequent monitoring activities provided reasonable assurance that WIFIA loans were administered in accordance with federal

Report: The EPA Needs to Develop a Strategy to Complete Overdue Residual Risk and Technology Reviews and to Meet the Statutory Deadlines for Upcoming Reviews

Report #22-E-0026, March 30, 2022. As of November 1, 2021, the EPA had 93 overdue RTRs or TRs, almost half of which were overdue by more than five years. These reviews are used to establish limits for air toxics emissions and to protect public health.

Report: EPA Should Conduct New Residual Risk and Technology Reviews for Chloroprene- and Ethylene Oxide-Emitting Source Categories to Protect Human Health

Report #21-P-0129, May 6, 2021. The EPA should conduct new RTRs for chloroprene- and ethylene oxide-emitting source categories to address elevated individual lifetime cancer risks impacting over 464,000 people, and to achieve environmental justice.

Report: EPA Failed to Develop Required Cost and Benefit Analyses and to Assess Air Quality Impacts on Children's Health for Proposed Glider Repeal Rule Allowing Used Engines in Heavy-Duty Trucks

Report #20-P-0047, December 5, 2019. The EPA's actions regarding the proposed Glider Repeal Rule lacked transparency and deprived the public of required information.

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: 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: 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.