Natural Resources and Environment

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Open Recommendations

Alaska Land Management: Resolving Ownership of Submerged Lands
GAO-23-106235
Aug 28, 2023
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Interior The Secretary of the Interior should ensure that the Directors of BLM, FWS, and NPS coordinate with the Chief of the Forest Service to secure an independent third-party facilitator to help agencies within the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture and the State of Alaska work toward agreement on a collaborative approach for the management of submerged lands in Alaska while ownership is being resolved. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the Chief of the Forest Service coordinates with the Directors of BLM, FWS, and NPS to secure an independent third-party facilitator to help agencies within the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture and the State of Alaska work toward agreement on a collaborative approach for the management of submerged lands in Alaska while ownership is being resolved. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Agencies Should Track Progress Toward Ambitious Federal Goals [Reissued with Revisions May 17, 2023]
GAO-23-105300
May 17, 2023
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Transportation The Secretary of Transportation should coordinate with DOE and USDA to develop and incorporate into the Grand Challenge Roadmap performance measures that enable the agencies to evaluate their actions and the effect of policy on SAF production and communicate the extent to which SAF is poised to contribute to larger aviation greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. (Recommendation 1)
Open
The Department of Transportation concurred with this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Department of Transportation has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should coordinate with DOT and USDA to develop and incorporate into the Grand Challenge Roadmap performance measures that enable the agencies to evaluate their actions and the effect of policy on SAF production and communicate the extent to which SAF is poised to contribute to larger aviation greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. (Recommendation 2)
Open
As of May 2023, the Department of Energy concurs with the recommendation. The Department stated that the Interagency Sustainable Aviation Fuel Working Group plans to publish an annual report beginning in September 2023 that includes the monitoring of industry progress. When we confirm what actions the Department of Energy has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should coordinate with DOT and DOE to develop and incorporate into the Grand Challenge Roadmap performance measures that enable the agencies to evaluate their actions and the effect of policy on SAF production and communicate the extent to which SAF is poised to contribute to larger aviation greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. (Recommendation 3)
Open
The Department of Agriculture concurred with this recommendation. When we confirm what actions the Department of Agriculture has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Lake Pontchartrain Basin: Additional Transparency and Performance Management Could Improve EPA's Restoration Program
GAO-23-105547
May 12, 2023
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The EPA Administrator should improve the availability of key grant information by making it publicly accessible in a central location, such as a website. (Recommendation 1)
Open
EPA agreed with this recommendation and has launched a public website for the PRP. The agency plans to add program information to this website.
Environmental Protection Agency The EPA Administrator should define the geographic boundaries of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin to clarify which parishes and counties are included within the Basin's boundaries to ensure that EPA convenes appropriate stakeholders to implement the PRP. (Recommendation 2)
Open
EPA agreed with this recommendation. According to EPA officials, the agency is developing a map that will clarify which parishes and counties are included within the Basin's boundaries.
Environmental Protection Agency The EPA Administrator, in updating the comprehensive conservation and management plan, should collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the plan reflects the current state of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and includes performance measures. (Recommendation 3)
Open
EPA agreed with this recommendation. The agency plans to involve stakeholders and include performance measures and trackable milestones when updating the PRP's comprehensive conservation and management plan.
Environmental Protection Agency The EPA Administrator should develop and document a process for overseeing the PRP. (Recommendation 4)
Open
EPA agreed with this recommendation. According to EPA officials, the agency is developing program-specific guidance that will both provide direction to PRP grantees and inform the PRP's management conference and public about key aspects of the program.

NOAA Acquisitions: Fully Aligning Procedures with Best Practices Could Improve the Reliability of Cost Estimates
GAO-23-105808
Apr 25, 2023
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The Administrator of NOAA should establish agency-wide policy and guidance that is aligned with best practices in GAO's Cost Guide. (Recommendation 1
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The Administrator of NOAA should require each office within NOAA to have documented cost estimating procedures that are fully aligned with the best practices established in its agency-wide policy and guidance. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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