Department of the Interior

The OIG investigated allegations that a U.S. National Park Service (NPS) employee sexually harassed a colleague during a trip to gather data from a weather station.We found that the employee made unwanted sexual advances towards the colleague during an off-duty road trip including hugging, kissing...

The OIG investigated an allegation that U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) senior leaders may not have been forthcoming to the USGS Director about their knowledge of violations identified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In 2018, the NRC issued the USGS a civil penalty for infractions...

We audited costs claimed by the State of Illinois Department of Natural Resources (Department) under Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration grants awarded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The audit included claims totaling approximately $50 million on 90 grants that were associated with the...

The OIG investigated SRC Energy’s self-reported disclosure that it drilled wells through a railroad right-of-way without obtaining a Federal lease or permit to drill. SRC, an oil and gas company based in Colorado, reported its activities to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which referred the...

The OIG investigated allegations that a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) assistant hatchery manager directed an FWS biologist to validate an inaccurate cause of death for an endangered fish species in a mortality report to cover up alleged neglect at an FWS fishery. It was also alleged...

The OIG investigated allegations that a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Office of Law Enforcement and Security supervisor misused U.S. Government equipment and employee time in support of his personal business. It was also alleged that the supervisor made a wasteful purchase of a $3,250 mountain...

We evaluated the National Park Service’s (NPS’) right-of-way (ROW) permitting process and how revenues for commercial cellular facilities are collected and accounted for.We found that the NPS was not properly collecting and accounting for revenues for commercial ROW permits, including the collection...

The OIG investigated allegations that contractor George Patton, after being debarred from Government contracting by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), created several companies through family members and another associate and improperly obtained U.S. Government contracts from 2013 to 2015...

The OIG investigated allegations that Foster Construction of South Florida, Inc., a National Park Service (NPS) prime contractor, did not fully compensate its subcontractor for construction services on two projects at the Virgin Islands National Park.We found that Adrian Foster, the owner of Foster...