Science & Technology

Report: EPA's Fiscal Years 2017 and 2016 Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund Financial Statements

Report #19-F-0086, March 18, 2019. We found the fund's financial statements to be fairly presented and free of material misstatements.

Report: Management Weaknesses Delayed Response to Flint Water Crisis

Report #18-P-0221, July 19, 2018. The EPA should strengthen its oversight of state drinking water programs to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency's response to drinking water contamination emergencies.

Report: EPA Needs to Improve Its Emergency Planning to Better Address Air Quality Concerns During Future Disasters

Report #20-P-0062, December 16, 2019. Developing EPA guidance for collecting and communicating air quality data could improve public confidence in the agency during future disaster responses.

Report: The Coronavirus Pandemic Caused Schedule Delays, Human Health Impacts, and Limited Oversight at Superfund National Priorities List Sites

Report #22-E-0049, June 22, 2022. Coronavirus pandemic restrictions delayed work and limited on-site oversight, with disproportionate impacts to some communities.

Report: Fiscal Year 2023 U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Management Challenges

The lack of board members continues to be the biggest risk to CSB operations.

Report: Measures and Management Controls Needed to Improve EPA's Pesticide Emergency Exemption Process

Report #18-P-0281, September 25, 2018. The EPA needs outcome measures to demonstrate the benefits or risks of pesticide emergency exemptions on human health and the environment.

Report: Compendium of Open and Unresolved Recommendations Related to Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act-Funded Programs

The purpose of this compendium is to analyze open and unresolved recommendations concerning programs that received funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Report: Management Alert - Hotline Concerns over Region 9 Regional Administrator's Duty Station and Travel

Report #19-N-0087, March 21, 2019. The EPA OIG initiated an assignment to address a hotline complaint regarding Michael Stoker, the Region 9 Regional Administrator.

Report: The EPA Needs to Fully Address the OIG’s 2018 Flint Water Crisis Report Recommendations by Improving Controls, Training, and Risk Assessments

Report #22-P-0046, May 17, 2022. Without complete oversight of the drinking water program, the public’s health is still at risk from lead in drinking water.

Report: EPA’s Fiscal Year 2023 Top Management Challenges

Report #22-N-0004, November 12, 2021. The OIG is required by statute to prepare an annual report summarizing what the OIG considers the “most serious management and performance challenges facing the agency.”

Report: The EPA’s Fiscal Years 2022 and 2021 Consolidated Financial Statements

Report #23-F-0002, November 15, 2022. We rendered an unmodified opinion on the EPA’s consolidated financial statements for fiscal years 2022 and 2021, meaning that they were fairly presented and free of material misstatement.

Report: U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board's Compliance in Fiscal Year 2019 with Improper Payments Legislation and Guidance (revised)

Report #20-N-0064, Jan 23, 2020. We found that the CSB was fully compliant with improper payments legislation and guidance during fiscal year 2019.

Report: Management Alert - Unapproved Use of Slag at Anaconda Co. Smelter Superfund Site

Report #20-N-0030, November 18, 2019. While conducting work on an ongoing audit the EPA OIG decided to issue this management alert to inform the agency and the public of our discovery that a certain unapproved use of slag is taking place in Anaconda, Monta

Report: The EPA Lacks Documented Procedures for Detecting and Removing Unapproved Software on the Agency’s Network

Report #22-E-0028, March 30, 2022. Without documented procedures governing software management and vulnerability remediation processes, the EPA continues to be at risk of outsiders gaining access to compromise and exploit Agency systems and data.

Report: The EPA Did Not Follow Agency Policies in Managing the Northbridge Contract and Potentially Violated Appropriations Law

Report #22-E-0027, March 31, 2022. Because key accounting policies were not adhered to, the EPA cannot ensure that $6.8 million in appropriated dollars went toward their intended purposes, potentially violating laws.

Report: EPA Finalized a Study of the Historical Applications of Coal Ash as Structural Fill

Report #19-N-0084, March 8, 2019. The ORCR determined that no further EPA action is warranted to address historical structural fill applications.

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 Has Not Performed Agencywide Risk Assessments, Increasing the Risk of Fraud, Waste, Abuse, and Mismanagement

Report #21-E-0011, December 15, 2021. The OCFO cannot provide reasonable assurance that crosscutting risks are identified and mitigated and that Agency resources are directed to the most critical strategic needs.

Report: U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board's Compliance in Fiscal Year 2021 with Improper Payments Legislation and Guidance

Report #22-E-0020, March 15, 2022. The OIG found that the CSB was fully compliant with improper payments legislation and guidance during fiscal year 2021.

Report: Staffing Constraints, Safety and Health Concerns at EPA's National Enforcement Investigations Center May Compromise Ability to Achieve Mission

Report #21-P-0131, May 12, 2021. Safety, health, and attrition issues may compromise NEIC’s ability to support the EPA’s civil and criminal enforcement efforts.