The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Should Improve Efforts for Expending Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Funds

Submitting OIG:

Department of the Interior OIG

Report Description:

We found OSMRE was not adequately prepared to expend IIJA funds, and it continues to expend funds without effective processes in place.

Short / Alternative Report Title:

OSMRE Should Improve Efforts for Expending Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Funds

Date Issued:

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Agency Reviewed / Investigated:

Department of the Interior

Submitting OIG-Specific Report Number:

Report No. 2023-INF-014

Component, if applicable:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

Location(s):

Agency-Wide

Type of Report:

Inspection / Evaluation

Questioned Costs:

Funds for Better Use:

Number of Recommendations:

Report updated under NDAA 5274:

View Document:

Attachment	Size
FinalEvaluationReportOSMREEffortsExpendingIIJAFundsNeedImprovement.pdf	2.21 MB

Additional Details Link:

https://www.doioig.gov/reports/evaluation/office-surface-mining-reclamation-and-…

Related Open Recommendations

Recommendation Number	Recommendation Status	Significant Recommendation
2023-INF-014-01	Open	No
We recommend that OSMRE provide training to grants management specialists on conducting thorough risk assessments, including guidance on identifying and analyzing single audit findings.
2023-INF-014-02	Open	Yes
We recommend that OSMRE design and implement an updated risk assessment checklist that requires grants management specialists to document consideration of applicable risk factors and document any mitigating measures for each risk factor identified.
2023-INF-014-03	Open	No
We recommend that OSMRE develop and implement a long-term staffing plan for grants management specialists that considers existing resources, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding, and OSMRE's priorities and goals.
2023-INF-014-04	Open	No
We recommend that OSMRE create and implement a mechanism to track and monitor all key dates for processing applications, modifications, and authorizations to proceed to ensure processing dates are met.
2023-INF-014-06	Open	No
We recommend that OSMRE develop and provide to grant applicants guidance on prioritization of projects for the Justice40 Initiative.
2023-INF-014-07	Open	No
We recommend that OSMRE develop and provide to grant applicants guidance on expectations of subrecipient and contractor monitoring.
2023-INF-014-08	Open	No
We recommend that OSMRE develop and provide to grant applicants guidance on information required for OSMRE to compile its Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act report submission to Congress.

Recommendation Number

Recommendation Status

Significant Recommendation

Additional Details

2023-INF-014-01

Open

We recommend that OSMRE provide training to grants management specialists on conducting thorough risk assessments, including guidance on identifying and analyzing single audit findings.

2023-INF-014-02

Open

Yes

We recommend that OSMRE design and implement an updated risk assessment checklist that requires grants management specialists to document consideration of applicable risk factors and document any mitigating measures for each risk factor identified.

2023-INF-014-03