Skip to main content

Environmental Protection Agency

Jump To:

Recent Reports

View More Reports

Open Recommendations (72 total)

Offshore Oil Spills: Additional Information is Needed to Better Understand the Environmental Tradeoffs of Using Chemical Dispersants

GAO-22-104153
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should work with the Coast Guard and other agencies to conduct assessments—such as biological assessments or ecological risk assessments—examining the potential effects of the subsurface use of dispersants on ocean ecosystems in regions where this is considered a viable response option. (Recommendation 2)
Open – Partially Addressed
In December 2022, EPA said that it continues to take steps to implement this recommendation by participating with USCG and other related agencies in the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research (ICCOPR) quarterly meetings. More recently, EPA ORD and OEM participated in four monthly workgroup meetings (February - May 2023). The workgroup has crafted a draft charter of methodology to address the four GAO recommendations associated with this report, including recommendation 2, which EPA is responsible for. The methodology relies heavily on existing data and reviewing information that is cited within the GAO report. The workgroup plans to meet monthly as well as reporting out at the quarterly ICCOPR meetings (June, September, December, March).

Renewable Fuel Standard: Actions Needed to Improve Decision-Making in the Small Refinery Exemption Program

GAO-23-104273
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should reassess EPA's conclusion that all small refineries recover their RFS compliance costs in the price of the gasoline and diesel they sell, including by fully examining and documenting RIN market performance and RIN pass-through in all relevant fuel markets. (Recommendation 1)
Open – Partially Addressed
While EPA disagreed with this recommendation, EPA did complete an analysis and posted the results on EPA's website in December 2022. EPA considers this recommendation to be fully implemented. EPA's completed analysis partially addresses this recommendation as EPA examined RIN market performance. Both our work and EPA's analysis point to a difference in the prices paid by small and larger refineries for RINs. Both our analysis and EPA's analysis look at average differences in prices paid by smaller companies. EPA's analysis does not fully address our recommendation because, without additional analysis, it is not possible to know if there could be specific market situations or specific small refineries where these differences are more pronounced. Moreover, EPA's analysis does not attempt to determine at what level these differences may represent disproportionate economic hardship for a small refinery. We continue to believe it is important for EPA to fully analyze this difference and its potential causes. This is important both to inform EPA's overall approach to small refinery exemptions and its decision-making regarding specific exemption petitions. We will monitor EPA's efforts to address this recommendation.

Puget Sound Restoration: Additional Actions Could Improve Assessments of Progress

GAO-18-453
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The EPA Region 10 Administrator should work with the management conference on future updates to the CCMP to help prioritize among the indicators that currently lack measurable targets and ensure that such targets are developed for the highest priority indicators where possible. (Recommendation 1)
Open – Partially Addressed
In June 2023, EPA continues to work with the Management Conference and the Puget Sound Partnership to implement the existing Action Agenda while also refining the targets and indicators that will be incorporated into the next Action Agenda (2027-2031). In August 2022, EPA approved a new Puget Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), called the 2022-2026 Action Agenda. Whereas previous Puget Sound CCMPs primarily focused on project-oriented near term actions, the new CCMP takes a different approach that focuses more on longer-term implementation strategies to achieve restoration goals. As part of this shift, the management conference revised the framework for assessing restoration progress to include three different types of targets covering different time frames: (1) short term (known as Program Targets); (2) medium term (known as Action Agenda Progress Indicator Targets); and (3) long term (known as Vital Signs Indicator Targets). According to EPA officials and documentation, EPA worked with the management conference to prioritize among the indicators for the development of targets, leading to the inclusion of 11 short term Program Targets and 6 long term Vital Signs Indicator Targets in the 2022-2026 CCMP. The management conference has not yet developed the medium term targets, but the CCMP states that those targets will be developed in the coming years. GAO will continue to monitor the status of this effort.

Wildfire Smoke: Opportunities to Strengthen Federal Efforts to Manage Growing Risks

GAO-23-104723
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should, in consultation with federal land management agencies, identify and develop additional information on reducing risks from wildfire smoke to air quality and public health through wildfire risk mitigation. (Recommendation 5)
Open – Partially Addressed
EPA agreed with this recommendation. In November 2023, EPA signed a memorandum of understanding with USDA, the Department of the Interior, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that identifies needed information related to reducing risks from wildfire smoke to air quality and public health through wildfire risk mitigation. This is an important step toward implementing our recommendation. Next, EPA needs to ensure that the agency, in consultation with the federal land management agencies, takes steps to further develop this information. We will monitor and update the status of this recommendation, as appropriate.

EPA Grants to Tribes: Additional Actions Needed to Effectively Address Tribal Environmental Concerns

GAO-21-150
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, the Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Water, and the Director of EPA's American Indian Environmental Office should update and nationally distribute guidance for project officers and tribes that clarifies documentation requirements and eligibility definitions for quality assurance project plans and the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program. (Recommendation 5)
Open – Partially Addressed
In July 2023, EPA stated that new Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) guidance is under development and confirmed that the standard guidance underwent Tribal Consultation in June and July 2023, but is not yet finalized. However, in September 2022, EPA nationally distributed and publicly released updated guidance for the General Assistance Program (GAP) that clarifies documentation requirements and eligibility definitions. Therefore, the GAP portion of this recommendation is fully implemented. When the new QAPP guidance is issued, we will review and assess the documentation to determine if it is responsive to the recommendation.

Recycling: Building on Existing Federal Efforts Could Help Address Cross-Cutting Challenges

GAO-21-87
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Director of EPA's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery should develop an implementation plan for conducting a study and developing recommendations for administrative or legislative action regarding the effect of existing public policies, and the likely effect of modifying or eliminating such incentives and disincentives, upon the reuse, recycling, and conservation of materials, as required by RCRA. (Recommendation 1)
Open – Partially Addressed
In its written agency comments, EPA agreed that the identified actions in GAO's recommendations from December 2020 can help improve the recycling system. On November 15, 2021, EPA released its final National Recycling Strategy. This strategy committed EPA to conducting a study of different policies to determine their effectiveness toward addressing the challenges facing the recycling system. In April 2024, EPA notified GAO that it expects to release a report of a study that examined the impacts of different policies, incentives, and disincentives on driving a circular economy, including a review of existing domestic and international policies related to recycling. According to EPA, the final report, expected by August 1, 2024, will include recommendations on effective policies or administrative actions. We plan to follow up with EPA about this recommendation when the study is released. At that time, we will determine whether EPA has attained any financial or other benefits from these actions. By conducting this study, EPA will address a RCRA requirement and may obtain important information to inform potential policy options.

Recycling: Building on Existing Federal Efforts Could Help Address Cross-Cutting Challenges

GAO-21-87
Show
2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Director of EPA's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery should develop an implementation plan for conducting a study and developing recommendations for administrative or legislative action regarding the necessity and method of imposing disposal or other charges on packaging, containers, vehicles, and other manufactured goods to reflect the cost of final disposal, the value of recoverable components of the item, and any social costs associated with nonrecycling or uncontrolled disposal, as required by RCRA. (Recommendation 2)
Open – Partially Addressed
In its written agency comments, EPA agreed that the identified actions in GAO's recommendations from December 2020 can help improve the recycling system. On November 15, 2021, EPA released its final National Recycling Strategy. This strategy committed EPA to conducting a study of different policies to determine their effectiveness toward addressing the challenges facing the recycling system. In April 2022, EPA stated that it had initiated a study regarding the necessity and method of imposing disposal or other charges on packaging, containers, vehicles, and other manufactured goods to reflect the cost of final disposal, the value of recoverable components of the item, and any social costs associated with nonrecycling or uncontrolled disposal, as required by RCRA. In April 2024, EPA stated that it anticipates releasing the study by October 15, 2024. We plan to follow up with EPA about this recommendation when the study is complete. At that time, we will determine whether EPA has attained any financial or other benefits from these actions. By conducting this study, EPA will address a RCRA requirement and may obtain important information to inform potential policy options.
Environmental Protection Agency The Director of EPA's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery should, while EPA finalizes and implements its national recycling strategy, incorporate desirable characteristics for effective national strategies, including (1) identifying the resources and investments needed, and balancing the risk reductions with costs; (2) clarifying the roles and responsibilities of participating entities; and (3) articulating how it will implement the strategy and integrate new activities into existing programs and activities. (Recommendation 3)
Open – Partially Addressed
In its written agency comments, EPA agreed that the identified actions in GAO's recommendations from December 2020 can help improve the recycling system. In November 2021, EPA released its final National Recycling Strategy. The strategy committed EPA to developing an implementation plan with more specificity about this action and the organizational lead. According to the strategy, the implementation plan will identify the resources and investments needed, balancing the risk reductions with costs; clarify the roles and responsibilities of participating entities; and articulate EPA's role in implementing the strategy and integrating new activities into the agency's existing programs and activities. In December 2023, EPA stated that it anticipates completion of a summary memo outlining completed implementation activities to close out this recommendation. In April 2024, EPA notified GAO that it expects to complete this activity by October 15, 2024. We will update the status of this recommendation after we have an opportunity to review EPA's implementation plan and other activities. At that time, we will determine whether EPA has attained any financial or other benefits through these activities. By better incorporating desirable characteristics as it finalizes and implements its strategy, EPA will have greater assurance of the strategy's usefulness in making resource and policy decisions and will better ensure accountability for its implementation.

Drinking Water: EPA Could Use Available Data to Better Identify Neighborhoods at Risk of Lead Exposure

GAO-21-78
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water should develop guidance for water systems that outlines methods to use ACS data and, where available, geospatial lead or other data to identify high-risk locations in which to focus lead reduction efforts, including tap sampling and lead service line replacement efforts. (Recommendation 1)
Open – Partially Addressed
Based on input from EPA in December 2022, this recommendation is partially implemented. EPA's Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory, includes information for water systems that offers, among other items, service line investigation methods such as the use of geostatistical models and other approaches. In addition, the document includes factors for when a system may want to prioritize investigations at locations served by unknown service lines, such as the presence of children at schools or child care centers. The recommendation included the use of ACS data to support the identification of high risk locations, but the guidance did not identify such a method. We will confer with EPA further on this matter.

Drinking Water: EPA Could Use Available Data to Better Identify Neighborhoods at Risk of Lead Exposure

GAO-21-78
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water should incorporate use of (1) ACS data on neighborhood characteristics potentially associated with the presence of lead service lines and (2) geospatial lead data, when available, into EPA's efforts to address the Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts. (Recommendation 2)
Open – Partially Addressed
Based on input from EPA in December 2022, this recommendation is partially implemented. EPA's "Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory" includes a section on inventory planning that discusses various approaches that can be used to establish lead service line inventories. The document provides guidance in a section titled "How to Make the Data Publicly Available" that includes recommendations on web-based map applications and useful information for addressing lead exposures in children. However, the recommendation identified the use of ACS data on neighborhood characteristics with geospatial data, when available, which was excluded from the guidance. We will confer with EPA further on this matter.
View More Recommendations

Related Pages