Science & Technology

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.

Report: Inconsistencies With EPA Policy Identified in Region 10's Biweekly Pay Cap Waiver Process

Report #18-P-0068, January 12, 2018. We identified issues with documentation and review of biweekly pay cap waivers at Region 10, resulting from a lack of an internal policy or process. Region 10 recently issued a new procedure that addresses our concerns.

Report: Self-Insurance for Companies With Multiple Cleanup Liabilities Presents Financial and Environmental Risks for EPA and the Public

Report #18-P-0059, December 22, 2017. The EPA's ability to oversee self-insurance instruments is impaired, leaving the agency and taxpayers vulnerable to billions of dollars in financial risk and the public vulnerable to environmental risk.

Report: Audit of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board’s Fiscal Years 2017 and 2016 Financial Statements

Report #18-F-0040, November 15, 2017. The CSB received an unmodified opinion on its fiscal years 2017 and 2016 financial statements.

Report: EPA's Fiscal Years 2017 and 2016 Consolidated Financial Statements

Report #18-F-0039, November 15, 2017. We found the EPA’s financial statements to be fairly presented and free of material misstatements.

Report: Improved Acquisition Planning Will Help EPA Reduce Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in High-Risk Contracts

Report #18-P-0038, November 15, 2017. Without improving its acquisition planning process, the EPA may continue to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on high-risk contracts that waste taxpayer resources.

Report: EPA Reported Its Fiscal Year 2017 Second Quarter Financial and Award Data in Accordance With the DATA Act

Report #18-P-0037, November 9, 2017. The DATA Act requires the EPA to report and display accurate financial and award data on USASpending.gov.

Report: EPA Paid $1.5 Million for Subsidized and Unoccupied Parking Spaces Over a 2-Year Period

Report #18-P-0036, November 8, 2017. The EPA paid $840,000 for subsidized parking and $690,000 for unoccupied parking spaces over a 2-year period.

Report: EPA Telework Program Is Consistent With U.S. Office of Personnel Management Guidance

Report #18-P-0024, October 16, 2017. The EPA’s telework policies have resulted in nearly all managers being trained to supervise their teleworking employees.

Report: EPA Can Better Reduce Risks From Illegal Pesticides by Effectively Identifying Imports for Inspection and Sampling

Report #17-P-0412, September 28, 2017. Low rates of inspections and sampling can create a risk that the EPA may not be identifying and deterring the import of pesticides harmful to people or the environment.