Department of the Interior

We audited the National Park Service’s (NPS’) Residential Environmental Learning Centers (RELCs) to determine to what extent the NPS ensures the RELCs comply with agreements, statutes, and regulations.We found that the NPS did not ensure that all activities and services provided by the RELCs...

This is the first in a series of reports we intend to issue to help decisionmakers make plans for the future of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation (ONHIR).Our overall objective is to identify and report on ONHIR’s responsibilities, functions, and current operations that could impact the...

The OIG investigated allegations that a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) official awarded or manipulated a grant to a friend in return for a favor. It was further alleged that the official benefited from a different grant that the FWS awarded to a State agency and that he may have used inside...

The OIG investigated allegations that Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribal Police Officer Willard White stole $40,000 from the Tribe. White allegedly obtained the funds under the pretense of creating a youth diversion program but spent the money on personal purchases and did not create the program...

We investigated an allegation that Douglas Domenech, Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), violated his Federal ethics pledge under Executive Order No. 13770 by meeting with an official from his former employer, the Texas Public Policy...

We investigated an allegation that Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, when he was the Deputy Secretary, interfered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS’) scientific process during an assessment of the effects of pesticides on endangered species. We investigated whether Secretary...

The OIG investigated allegations that workers aboard an offshore oil production platform violated Federal regulations, which resulted in an explosion that killed three platform workers and spilled oil into the Gulf of Mexico in November 2012.We found that three individuals and three companies—Black...

The OIG investigated allegations that a gas marketing company, B. Charles Rogers Gas, Ltd. (BCR), underreported natural gas liquid volumes and overcharged companies producing gas from Federal wells in New Mexico, which resulted in a loss of Federal and tribal mineral royalties.We found that Billy...

We reviewed the three recommendations presented in our 2016 management advisory titled Office of Aviation Services’ Maintenance System Presents a Threat to Public Health and Safety to verify whether the Office of Aviation Services had implemented them.We confirmed that Recommendation 1 has been...

We reviewed two recommendations (recommendations 6 and 8) made in our February 2016 inspection report titled U.S. Department of the Interior’s Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation Programs to verify that the Department implemented the recommendations.We confirmed that recommendations 6 and 8...