Science & Technology

Report: The EPA Was Not Compliant with the Payment Integrity Information Act for Fiscal Year 2021

Report #22-P-0050, June 27, 2022. The EPA needs to implement appropriate control measures to better identify and reduce the risk of its improper payments.

Report: EPA’s Fiscal Years 2020 and 2019 Financial Statements for the Pesticide Registration Fund

Report #22-F-0014, December 21, 2021. We found the fund’s financial statements to be fairly presented and free of material misstatement.

Report: EPA's Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Program Needs Additional Internal Controls

Report #19-P-0045, December 14, 2018. WIFIA managers need to identify possible risks to the program and develop internal controls to minimize these risks.

Report: Improved Review Processes Could Advance EPA Regions 3 and 5 Oversight of State-Issued National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits

Report #21-P-0122, April 21, 2021. Improved EPA oversight could ensure that state NPDES programs are protecting human health and the environment.

Report: EPA Needs an Agencywide Strategic Action Plan to Address Harmful Algal Blooms

Report #21-E-0264, September 28, 2021. Scientists predict that harmful algal bloom occurrences in recreational waters and drinking water sources will increase as excess nutrients continue to flow into water bodies, temperatures warm, and extreme weather ev

Report: Tribal Pesticide Enforcement Comes Close to Achieving EPA Goals, but "Circuit Rider" Inspector Guidance Needed

Report #20-P-0012, October 29, 2019. Improvements in the "circuit rider" program can enable the EPA to better detect and prevent pesticide misuse and unnecessary risks to human health and the environment in Indian country.

Report: While EPA Regions Enforce at Six Superfund Sites Reviewed, Four of Those Sites Remain in Significant Noncompliance, and Nationwide Reporting and Tracking Can Be Improved

Report #20-P-0011, October 24, 2019. The effectiveness of EPA headquarters' oversight of enforcement at Superfund sites was limited as headquarters was not aware of all SNCs and thus could not assess adequacy of regional actions.

Report: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Findings for Consideration in the Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

Report #22-N-0061, September 30, 2022. We conducted this review to provide considerations for the EPA to strengthen its corrective action certification process. When the Agency certifies to the completion of corrective actions that have not been completed,

Report: Fiscal Year 2022 Oversight Plan

December 14, 2021. The Fiscal Year 2022 Oversight Plan reflects the priority work that the OIG believes is necessary to keep the EPA, the CSB, and Congress fully informed about issues relating to the administration of Agency programs and operations.

Report: EPA's Purchase Card and Convenience Check Program Merits an Audit in Fiscal Year 2020

Report #20-P-0006, October 18, 2019. A longer-than-expected transition to the EPA’s new purchase card contract adversely affected the agency’s internal controls over its purchase card and convenience check program.

Report: EPA Did Not Identify Volkswagen Emissions Cheating; Enhanced Controls Now Provide Reasonable Assurance of Fraud Detection

Report #18-P-0181, May 15, 2018. After uncovering VW's emissions fraud, the EPA's light-duty vehicle compliance program added controls to effectively detect and prevent noncompliance—a precursor to potential fraud.

Report: EPA Established a Web Management Program, but Improvements Are Needed in Deploying Web Analytics

Report #22-P-0013, December 20, 2021. Without fully implementing web analytics, the EPA could be without vital usage information to meet the needs of the public, regulatory agencies, industries, and other stakeholders when conveying environmental issues.

Report: Pandemic Highlights Need for Additional Tribal Drinking Water Assistance and Oversight in EPA Regions 9 and 10

Report #21-E-0254, September 27, 2021. The coronavirus pandemic negatively impacted the oversight and assistance that Regions 9 and 10 provide to the tribal drinking water systems under their purview.

Report: EPA Needs to Re-Evaluate Its Compliance Monitoring Priorities for Minimizing Asbestos Risks in Schools

Report #18-P-0270, September 17, 2018. Asbestos exposure risk is higher in children because they are more active, breathe at higher rates and through the mouth, and spend more time closer to the floor where asbestos fibers can accumulate.

Report: Improved EPA Oversight of Funding Recipients' Title VI Programs Could Prevent Discrimination

Report #20-E-0333, September 28, 2020. Despite elimination of the case backlog, additional improvements in the EPA's oversight of Title VI funding recipients could prevent discrimination.

Report: Delayed Cleanup of Asbestos Debris at the Old Davis Hospital Site Necessitates Changes for EPA Region 4 and North Carolina

Report #18-P-0271, Sept 18, 2018. EPA Region 4 and North Carolina followed procedures at the Old Davis Hospital site; but, those procedures did not result in the timely removal of asbestos that posed a potential threat to human health and the environment.

Report: EPA's Purchase Card and Convenience Check Program Controls Are Not Effective for Preventing Improper Purchases

Report #18-P-0232, August 20, 2018. Ineffective oversight at the EPA contributed to improper purchases totaling $57,017 from sampled transactions.

Industrial Effluent Guidelines

Menu for effluent guidelines; industrial wastewater regulations and related publications

Effluent Guidelines

Effluent guidelines are national standards for wastewater discharges to surface waters and municipal sewage treatment plants. We issue the regulations for industrial categories based on the performance of treatment and control technologies.

OIG Reports

The EPA OIG conducts financial and performance audits to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of agency operations and programs. Audits identify potential fraud, waste and abuse; assess program compliance and management of agency processes; identify