Skip to main content

Environmental Protection Agency

Jump To:

Recent Reports

View More Reports

Open Recommendations (73 total)

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 assess the effect of small refinery exemption decision timing on the benefit provided to small refineries, as well as the effect on fuel markets, and reconsider petition requirements, such as that of three quarters of current year financial information. (Recommendation 7)
Open
In commenting on this report, EPA partially concurred with this recommendation. On December 26, 2023, EPA stated that after further review, it considered this recommendation fully resolved because of a regulatory change it put in place in December 2019. Under the new regulation, EPA projects the gallons exempted for small refineries when setting the requirements, and EPA stated this will reduce the volatility created by the timing of its decisions. However, we disagree that EPA's new regulatory approach will address this issue because it does nothing to address the timing of SRE decisions, nor does it alter the requirement for three quarters of financial information, which pushes decisions late in the year. We continue to believe addressing the timing of SRE decisions is important to reduce financial uncertainty for refineries and the market. We will monitor EPA's efforts to address this recommendation.

Sexual Harassment: Actions Needed to Improve Prevention Training for Federal Civilian Employees

GAO-24-106589
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency should develop and implement a plan to evaluate the agency's required sexual harassment prevention training to identify needed improvements. The evaluation plan should include an assessment of training content and implementation to determine whether revisions are needed to better align with management practices to enhance the effectiveness of sexual harassment prevention training. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Cloud Computing Security: Agencies Increased Their Use of the Federal Authorization Program, but Improved Oversight and Implementation Are Needed

GAO-20-126
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should develop guidance requiring that cloud service authorization letter be provided to the FedRAMP program management office. (Recommendation 23)
Open
In May 2023, we requested supporting documentation to close this recommendation. Once EPA provides the supporting documentation, we will provide updated information.

Refined Coal Production Tax Credit: Coordinated Agency Review Could Help Ensure the Credit Achieves Its Intended Purpose

GAO-22-104637
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency If Congress extends the refined coal production tax credit, the Administrator of the EPA should coordinate with Treasury, IRS, and DOE to review the performance of the credit in achieving its intended purpose and identify and implement, as appropriate, any improvements towards achieving that intended purpose, such as adjustments to allowable emissions testing methods. (Recommendation 3)
Open
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agreed with our recommendation. In a May 2022 letter, EPA stated that it generally agrees with our findings and conclusions. EPA officials noted that the agency plans to take no further actions, since the recommendation is conditional and predicated on the refined coal production tax credit being extended beyond 2021. If Congress reinstates the refined coal production tax credit after fiscal year 2024, we will confirm what actions EPA has taken in response to our recommendation and provide updated information.

Chemical Accident Prevention: EPA Should Ensure Regulated Facilities Consider Risks from Climate Change

GAO-22-104494
Show
2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and Director of the Office of Emergency Management, together with EPA officials at regional offices, should provide additional compliance assistance to RMP facilities related to risks from natural hazards and climate change. (Recommendation 1)
Open
EPA agreed with this recommendation. In December 2022, EPA noted that progress on this recommendation is contingent on the final rule being published, so the agency does not expect to develop additional materials to assist regulated entities in complying with the updated RMP regulations until after the final rule is published, currently scheduled for December 2023.
Environmental Protection Agency The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance should design an information system to track common deficiencies found during inspections, including any related to natural hazards and climate change, and use this information to target compliance assistance. (Recommendation 2)
Open
EPA agreed with the goal of this recommendation. In Spring 2023, the agency reported that it had completed the written business process for identifying common deficiencies and had begun the implementation.

Clean Water Act: EPA Should Track Control of Combined Sewer Overflows and Water Quality Improvements

GAO-23-105285
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water should develop a performance goal and measure(s) to track and assess the status of long-term control plans or other control plans for municipalities with CSOs. (Recommendation 1)
Open
In January 2023, EPA generally agreed with this recommendation. To enable tracking of the progress of CSO control efforts as described, EPA officials said full implementation of Phase 2 of the 2015 NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule would help. EPA said they expect that by December 2025, states, permittees, and others will report data electronically in a national database that can be used to track and measure performance goals for the CSO program. According to EPA, such data would enable it to track and measure progress as it will include the status of long-term control plans or similar efforts and elements related to water quality improvements. EPA also stated that the data will be made available online for regulators and the public to use to track progress and completion of control efforts. We will continue to monitor implementation of these actions.

Justice40: Additional Efforts Needed to Improve Tribal Applicants' Access to Federal Programs Under Environmental Justice Initiative

GAO-24-106511
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should ensure that the program offices of EPA Justice40 covered programs document previously identified statutory and regulatory barriers to access for tribal applicants informing their implementation of the Justice40 Initiative. As a part of this process, the agency should—with input from Tribes—identify any additional changes necessary to address remaining statutory and regulatory barriers, recommending legislative changes where the agency determines appropriate. The agency should make a summary of the results of this process publicly available. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Drinking Water: Additional Data and Statistical Analysis May Enhance EPA's Oversight of the Lead and Copper Rule

GAO-17-424
Show
1 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency
Priority Rec.
The Assistant Administrator for Water of EPA's Office of Water and the Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance should develop a statistical analysis that incorporates multiple factors--including those currently in SDWIS/Fed and others such as the presence of lead pipes and the use of corrosion control--to identify water systems that might pose a higher likelihood for violating the LCR once complete violations data are obtained, such as through SDWIS Prime. (Recommendation 3)
Open
EPA agreed with our recommendation. In April 2023, the agency proposed revisions to the Consumer Confidence Report Rule that, if finalized, would require states and others with primary enforcement authority to annually report drinking water compliance monitoring data, starting in 2025. We think this proposed rule is a good step forward. Revisions to the rule are scheduled to be finalized by March 2024, after which EPA will need to demonstrate plans for using the improved compliance data. We are keeping this recommendation open until EPA provides us information that it has finalized its efforts. By implementing our recommendation, EPA will be better able to target its oversight of water systems.

Clean Water Act: EPA Should Track Control of Combined Sewer Overflows and Water Quality Improvements

GAO-23-105285
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water should develop a performance goal and measures to track and assess the improvements to water quality resulting from CSO controls implemented by municipalities with CSOs. (Recommendation 2)
Open
EPA generally agreed with this recommendation. In January 2023, officials cited the need for full implementation of Phase 2 of the 2015 NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule. By December 2025, EPA expects states, permittees, and others to report data electronically in a national database that can be used to track and measure performance goals for the CSO program. According to EPA, such data would enable it to track and measure progress as it will include the status of long-term control plans or similar efforts and elements related to water quality improvements. EPA also stated that the data will be made available online for regulators and the public to use to track progress and completion of control efforts. However, EPA did not explicitly state that it plans to develop any goals and measures that it can use to track and assess the status of plans and improvements to water quality resulting from CSO controls. Even before it completes implementation of Phase 2, EPA can work with its state partners and others to develop goals and measures. We will continue to monitor this recommendation.
View More Recommendations

Related Pages