Report: The EPA Needs to Improve the Verification of Land-Use Controls at Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action Facilities

Report #24-E-0066 , (Date) September 23, 2024

Why We Did This Report

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General conducted this evaluation to determine the extent to which the EPA verifies that Resource Conservation and Recovery Act corrective action land-use controls remain in place to prevent human exposure and groundwater contamination at facilities where contamination remains in place.
 

Summary of Findings

The EPA does not have a national process in place to track or verify the status of land-use controls at Resource Conservation and Recovery Act corrective action facilities. The EPA has not identified standard methods for long-term oversight of land-use controls at corrective action facilities. Additionally, the EPA regions vary in their progress toward attainment of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action Program Goal 4. Further, EPA information systems that can be used to access program information contain data issues, and the EPA is not using its information systems to track the status of land-use controls.

Report Materials

• At a Glance (pdf) (172 KB)
• Full Report - 25-E-0066 (pdf) (2.1 MB)