Report of Investigation: Joseph Goffman, Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation

Report #24-N-0054, August 27, 2024

Why We Did This Report

On February 2, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General Administrative Investigations Directorate initiated an investigation into whether EPA official Joseph Goffman’s participation in the Miscellaneous Coating Manufacturing, or MCM, rulemaking under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants was potentially improper based on his personal financial holdings. Goffman self-disclosed his participation in the MCM rulemaking to the EPA Office of the General Counsel and subsequently to the OIG. We later expanded the scope of our investigation to include three additional matters that involved potential ethics violations.
 

Summary of Findings

Based on a preponderance of the evidence, our investigation found that in all four matters, EPA official Joseph Goffman failed to assess whether specific parties or industries posed a potential financial conflict-of-interest prior to participation. Our investigation also found that Goffman held financial interests in the MCM and Commercial sterilization rulemakings and failed to meet his ethical obligations under the federal financial conflicts-of-interest prohibition when he participated in both rulemakings. Our investigation was inconclusive as to whether Goffman met his ethical obligations under the federal financial conflicts-of-interest prohibition when he participated in the review of a request by a corporate entity. Finally, our investigation did not substantiate that Goffman failed to meet his ethical obligations under the federal financial conflicts-of-interest prohibition when he participated in preparations for a “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act Roundtable.”

Report Materials

• Full Report - 24-N-0054 (pdf) (1667KB)