Office of Inspector General

2017 OIG Reports

Reports by Year

Special Reports

What is the EPA OIG?

The Office of Inspector General is an independent organization that performs audits and investigations of the EPA to detect and prevent fraud, waste and abuse. Learn more

Following is a chronological listing of all reports issued by the Office of Inspector General in 2017. Back to the OIG Reports page.

2017 OIG Reports

Date	Title	Publication Number	Environmental Goal(s)	Report Teams
Dec 22, 2017	Self-Insurance for Companies With Multiple Cleanup Liabilities Presents Financial and Environmental Risks for EPA and the Public	18-P-0059	Cleaning up and revitalizing land, Operating efficiently and effectively	L
Nov 17, 2017	Semiannual Report: April 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017	EPA-350-R-17-002
Nov 15, 2017	Audit of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board’s Fiscal Years 2017 and 2016 Financial Statements	18-F-0040	U.S. Chemical Safety Board	FA
Nov 15, 2017	EPA's Fiscal Years 2017 and 2016 Consolidated Financial Statements	18-F-0039	Operating efficiently and effectively	FA
Nov 15, 2017	Improved Acquisition Planning Will Help EPA Reduce Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in High-Risk Contracts	18-P-0038	Operating efficiently and effectively	C
Nov 9, 2017	EPA Reported Its Fiscal Year 2017 Second Quarter Financial and Award Data in Accordance With the DATA Act	18-P-0037	Operating efficiently and effectively	FA
Nov 9, 2017	Annual Plan for the EPA and CSB - FY 2018			OM
Nov 8, 2017	EPA Paid $1.5 Million for Subsidized and Unoccupied Parking Spaces Over a 2-Year Period	18-P-0036	Operating efficiently and effectively	EF
Oct 30, 2017	EPA’s Information Security Program Is Established, but Improvements Are Needed to Strengthen Its Processes	18-P-0031	Compliance with the law, Operating efficiently and effectively	IRM
Oct 30, 2017	Improvements Needed in CSB’s Identity and Access Management and Incident Response Security Functions	18-P-0030	U.S. Chemical Safety Board	IRM
Oct 16, 2017	EPA Telework Program Is Consistent With U.S. Office of Personnel Management Guidance	18-P-0024	Operating efficiently and effectively	SPR
Oct 5, 2017	Analysis of Toxics Release Inventory Data Identifies Few Noncompliant Facilities	18-P-0001	Ensuring the safety of chemicals,Compliance with the law	L
Sept 28, 2017	EPA Can Better Reduce Risks From Illegal Pesticides by Effectively Identifying Imports for Inspection and Sampling	17-P-0412	Ensuring the safety of chemicals, Compliance with the law	T
Sept 27, 2017	Management Alert - Controls Failed to Prevent Employee From Receiving Payment in Excess of Statutory Limit	17-P-0410	Compliance with the law	FO
Sept 27, 2017	Management Alert - EPA Has Not Initiated Required Background Investigations for Information Systems Contractor Personnel	17-P-0409	Operating efficiently and effectively	IRM
Sept 26, 2017	EPA Needs to Improve Oversight of Its Audio Conference Services	17-P-0408	Operating efficiently and effectively	EF
Sept 26, 2017	Follow-Up Audit - EPA Needs to Strengthen Internal Controls Over Retention Incentives	17-P-0407	Operating efficiently and effectively	FO
Sept 25, 2017	Region 2 Needs to Improve Its Internal Processes Over Puerto Rico’s Assistance Agreements	17-P-0402	Operating efficiently and effectively	EF
Sept 19, 2017	EPA’s Distribution of Superfund Human Resources Does Not Support Current Regional Workload	17-P-0397	Cleaning up and revitalizing land, Operating efficiently and effectively	L
Sept 19, 2017	Eleven Years After Agreement, EPA Has Not Developed Reliable Emission Estimation Methods to Determine Whether Animal Feeding Operations Comply With Clean Air Act and Other Statutes	17-P-0396	Improving air quality	A
Sept 18, 2017	EPA Needs to Manage Pesticide Funds More Efficiently	17-P-0395	Operating efficiently and effectively	FA
Sept 12, 2017	EPA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution and Public Involvement Contract Needs Better Management	17-P-0380	Operating efficiently and effectively	C
Sept 7, 2017	Management Alert - EPA Should Promptly Reassess Community Risk Screening Tool	17-P-0378	Improving EPA research programs,Operating efficiently and effectively	ERP
Sept 6, 2017	EPA’s Travel Card Program at Low Risk for Unauthorized Purchases	17-P-0377	Compliance with the law	C
Aug 28, 2017	EPA Needs to Increase Oversight of Leave Bank Program to Improve Efficiency and Reduce Risk of Misuse	17-P-0374	Operating efficiently and effectively	EF
Aug 23, 2017	Improved Management of the Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Program Is Required to Maximize Cleanups	17-P-0368	Cleaning up and revitalizing land, Operating effectively and efficiently	C
Aug 14, 2017	Fiscal Years 2016 and 2015 Financial Statements for the Pesticide Registration Fund	17-F-0365	Financial Management	FA
Aug 14, 2017	Fiscal Years 2016 and 2015 Financial Statements for the Pesticides Reregistration and Expedited Processing Fund	17-F-0364	Financial Management	FA
Aug 14, 2017	EPA’s Fiscal Years 2016 and 2015 Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund Financial Statements	17-F-0363	Financial Management	FA
Aug 14, 2017	Early-Outs and Buyouts Aided OIG Workforce Reduction, but Weak Management Controls Led to Misused Authority	17-P-0362	Spending Taxpayer Dollars	SPR
Aug 9, 2017	Management Alert: Concerns Over Compliance, Accountability and Consistency Identified With EPA’s Biweekly Pay Cap Waiver Process	17-P-0355	Spending Taxpayer Dollars	FO
Aug 1, 2017	EPA’s Voluntary WaterSense Program Demonstrated Success	17-P-0352	Protecting America's Waters	W
Aug 1, 2017	EPA Implemented Prior OIG Recommendations, but Additional Guidance Could Strengthen the Human Subjects Research Program	17-P-0350	Science and Research	W
July 31, 2017	EPA Needs to Institutionalize Its “Lean” Program to Reap Cost and Time Benefits	17-P-0346	Spending Taxpayer Dollars	EF
July 31, 2017	EPA Lacks Processes to Validate Whether Contractors Receive Specialized Role-Based Training for Network and Data Protection	17-P-0344	Information Technology	IRM
July 31, 2017	EPA Region 5 Has Adequate Policies and Procedures for Addressing Sexual Harassment Allegations	17-P-0343	Spending Taxpayer Dollars	FO
July 27, 2017	FY 2017 U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Management Challenge	17-N-0342	U.S. Chemical Safety Board	EF
July 18, 2017	EPA Is Taking Steps to Improve State Drinking Water Program Reviews and Public Water Systems Compliance Data	17-P-0326	Protecting Americas Waters	W
July 10, 2017	Fiscal Years 2015 and 2014 Financial Statements for the Pesticide Registration Fund	17-F-0315	Financial Management	FM
July 10, 2017	Fiscal Years 2015 and 2014 Financial Statements for the Pesticides Reregistration and Expedited Processing Fund	17-F-0314	Financial Management	FA
July 5, 2017	CSB Purchase Card Program at Low Risk for Unauthorized Purchases	17-P-0303	U.S. Chemical Safety Board	EF
June 28, 2017	Quality Control Review of EPA OIG Reports Issued in Fiscal Year 2016	17-N-0295	EPA as a High-Performing Organization	OM
June 23, 2017	EPA Should Assess Needs and Implement Management Controls to Ensure Effective Incorporation of Chemical Safety Research Products	17-P-0294	Chemical Safety	T
June 21, 2017	EPA Can Strengthen Its Oversight of Herbicide Resistance With Better Management Controls	17-P-0278	Chemical Safety	T
June 12, 2017	Gold King Mine Release: Inspector General Response to Congressional Requests	17-P-0250	Cleaning Up Communities	L
June 8, 2017	Improved Data and EPA Oversight Are Needed to Assure Compliance With the Standards for Benzene Content in Gasoline	17-P-0249	Air Quality	A
May 30, 2017	EPA's Fiscal Years 2015 and 2014 Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund Financial Statements	17-F-0228	Financial Management	FA
May 18, 2017	Semiannual Report to Congress: Oct 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017	EPA-350-R-17-001
May 18, 2017	EPA's Fiscal Year 2017 Management Challenges	17-N-0219		SPR
May 10, 2017	EPA Complied With Improper Payment Legislation, but Testing Can Be Improved	17-P-0212	Financial Management	C
May 8, 2017	Controls Needed to Track Changes to EPA’s Compass Financials Data	17-P-0205	Information Technology	IRM
May 3, 2017	Downriver Community Conference Achieved Results and Expended Funds Under Brownfields Agreement, but Unallowable Costs Were Claimed	17-P-0204	Cleaning Up Communities	FO
Apr 26, 2017	Over $774 Million of Puerto Rico State Revolving Funds at Risk	17-P-0186	Financial Management	FO
Apr 24, 2017	Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission Complied With Most Federal Requirements but Claimed Some Unallowable Costs	17-P-0184	Spending Taxpayers Dollars	FO
Apr 24, 2017	EPA-Funded What’s Upstream? Advocacy Campaign Did Not Violate Lobbying Prohibitions	17-P-0183	Spending Taxpayers Dollars	FO
Apr 12, 2017	EPA Needs to Provide Leadership and Better Guidance to Improve Fish Advisory Risk Communications	17-P-0174	Protecting America's Waters	W
Mar 23, 2017	EPA’s 2014 Early-Out and Buyout Activities Aided Workforce Restructuring Goals, and Continued Monitoring of Progress Can Show Value of Restructuring	17-P-0140	Spending Taxpayers Dollars	SPR
Mar 13, 2017	EPA Has Adequate Controls to Manage Advice From Science and Research Federal Advisory Committees, but Transparency Could Be Improved	17-P-0124	Science and Research	ERP
Mar 9, 2017	CSB Complied With Improper Payment Legislation Requirements for Fiscal Year 2016	17-P-0123	U.S. Chemical Safety Board	EF
Mar 6, 2017	Fraud Controls for EPA’s Contract Laboratory Program Are Adequate, but Can Be Strengthened With Formal Risk Assessment and Investigative Information Sharing	17-P-0119	Science and Research	ERP
Mar 6, 2017	Backlog of Leaking Underground Storage Tank Cleanups in Indian Country Has Been Reduced, but EPA Needs to Demonstrate Compliance With Requirements	17-P-0118	Cleaning Up Communities	L
Feb 14, 2017	Risk for EPA’s Fiscal Year 2016 Purchase Card and Convenience Check Program Warrants an Audit	17-P-0113	Financial Management	C
Feb 6, 2017	Management Alert: Certain State, Local and Tribal Data Processing Practices Could Impact Suitability of Data for 8-Hour Ozone Air Quality Determinations	17-P-0106	Air Quality	A

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GAGAS and Non-GAGAS Reports

Reports from October 2016 and later marked with a P, F or A in their report number follow GAGAS, Exitofficial examination standards established by the federal government. This sign of quality ensures the integrity, objectivity and independence of our work.

Reports marked with an N, E, B or S signify the limited “non-GAGAS” work that reflects back on our recent recommendations to highlight the impact of our oversight mission.

Report Type	Middle Character (i.e., 20-X-001)
GAGAS-compliant performance audit	P
GAGAS-compliant financial statement audit	F
GAGAS-compliant attestation audit	A
Non-GAGAS or Non-QSIE-compliant report	N
QSIE -compliant evaluation	E
Internal report	B
Single audit report	S

Report Teams

A - Air
CSB - US Chemical Safety Board
C - Contracts and Assistance Agreement
EF - Efficiency
FA - Financial
FO - Forensic
IRM - Information Resources Management
L - Land Cleanup and Waste Management
OM - Office of Management
SP - Special Programs (prev SPR)
ER - Environmental Research (prev ERP)
T - Toxics, Chemical Management and Pollution Prevention
W - Water

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 Exit.

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.