Department of the Interior OIG

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...

The OIG investigated an allegation of a financial conflict of interest involving a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) employee and a family member. The complaint alleged that the USGS employee assigned to a USGS unit at a State university submitted and managed multiple research work orders (RWOs) from...

We investigated allegations that U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) or National Park Service (NPS) officials may have improperly influenced two hiring actions. The first hiring action resulted in the promotion of an NPS employee from a GS-9 to a GS-11 supervisory position in 2018, and the second...

We investigated allegations of improper conduct and actions by a GS-15 National Park Service (NPS) employee toward another NPS employee.The NPS employee said she felt uncomfortable when the GS-15 employee placed his hand on her lower back on multiple occasions, made inappropriate comments, and...

In accordance with guidance from the Office of Management and Budget, we reviewed the “Payment Integrity” section in the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Agency Financial Report (AFR) for fiscal year (FY) 2020. Our objective was to determine whether the Department met the requirements of the...

Correctional and detention facilities present unique challenges in preventing and controlling the spread of COVID-19. When compared to the general population, a disproportionate number of COVID-19 outbreaks and deaths occur in jails, prisons, and detention facilities across the country. The Centers...

We investigated allegations that a tribal non-profit organization misused $50,000 it received for a 3-day training conference. It received the funds from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) through a cooperative agreement.We did not find any evidence of misuse of funds or of false claims and...

The OIG investigated allegations that a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) employee working at a refuge stole copper wiring and a bulldozer.We found that the employee removed copper from the former military facilities at the refuge and sold it for less than $5,000 during the last 10 years. We did...