Department of the Interior

The OIG investigated allegations that a salable mineral known as caliche was improperly removed from the construction site of a school built on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land that was conveyed to the school district through a recreation and public purposes lease. The U.S. Government retains...

We investigated an allegation that a senior USGS manager retaliated against a subordinate employee because the employee had participated in another investigation against him.We determined that the employee’s role in the other investigation against the senior manager constituted protected activity...

The OIG investigated allegations that independent Government contractors colluded on bids for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hay delivery contracts, that a BLM employee who was related to one of the contractors influenced the awards to benefit the relative, and that the contractors added weight to...

We investigated allegations that Nathan Shumaker, a service supervisor employed with Alliance Energy Services, LLC, knowingly discharged oil from the offshore platform known as Vermillion 124F into the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) in 2016.Black Elk Trust operated the Vermillion 124F platform located on a...

We investigated an allegation that a program manager with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) misused Water-Use Data and Research (WUDR) grant funds awarded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to pay WVDEP employees who did not perform work related to the grant.Our...

The OIG investigated allegations that Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) realty specialists processed and approved 15 land transfer gift deeds from a tribal member to his sister without the proper authority. The complaint also alleged that the deeds contained forged signatures and improperly backdated...

We completed a follow-up inspection of Pine Hill School to determine what progress had been made to correct the issues identified in our prior reports and determine whether the facility conditions have changed since our last reviews.We found that the school addressed many of the issues identified in...

We audited the costs claimed by the State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources (Department) under grants awarded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. The audit included claims totaling approximately $153 million on 43 grants...

As a part of our oversight responsibilities for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) appropriations to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), we have reviewed the Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA’s) initial oversight steps for the CARES Act grant funds to the Insular...

As a part of our oversight responsibilities for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) appropriations to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), we have reviewed the Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA’s) initial oversight steps for the CARES Act grant funds to the Insular...