Report: Management Implication Report: The EPA’s Wood Heater Program
Report # 24-N-0040, May 22, 2024
Why We Did This Report
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General has identified concerns regarding the Agency’s failure to properly oversee and administer its Wood Heater Program.
Summary of Findings
We found that the EPA lacked robust oversight mechanisms—such as compliance monitoring of EPA-approved labs, of third-party certifiers, and of wood heater manufacturers—to ensure that the Wood Heater Program facilitates compliance with the Clean Air Act. As a result, wood heaters that do not meet Clean Air Act standards may end up in the marketplace, increasing risks to public health and the environment. We also identified concerns regarding impartiality, conflicts of interest, and enforcement of program violations, especially in cases where the EPA is allowing known noncompliance to go unaddressed.
Report Materials
Full Report - 24-N-0040 (pdf) (1.37 KB)- The EPA Office of Inspector General Identifies Gaps in Oversight of the Wood Heater Program under the Clean Air Act
OIG Independence of EPA
The EPA's Office of Inspector General is a part of the EPA, although Congress provides our funding separate from the agency, to ensure our independence. We were created pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended.
Environmental Protection Agency | Office of Inspector General
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (2410T) | Washington, DC 20460 | 202-566-2391
OIG Hotline: 1-888-546-8740.