Federal Reports

OIG reviewed APHIS’ Horse Protection Act horse show inspection and disqualification processes. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) operates NOAA’s fleet of specialized environmental data-collecting aircraft, including three “hurricane hunter” aircraft: one Gulfstream-IV-SP (G-IV) that is 29 years old and flies high-altitude storm surveillance missions and two Lockheed WP-3D aircraft that are 48 and 49 years old and fly directly into tropical cyclones (low-altitude storm reconnaissance). The G-IV has exceeded its original estimated service life, and the WP-3Ds will reach the end of their estimated service lives in 2030. 

NOAA has initiated replacement efforts for its aging hurricane hunter aircraft and Congress has appropriated funds for replacement aircraft. NOAA will replace the G-IV with two modified Gulfstream 550s and will replace the WP-3Ds with Lockheed C-130Js. The objective of our audit was to assess NOAA’s progress replacing its hurricane hunter aircraft.

We found that (1) hurricane hunter replacement programs started late, delayed definition of requirements, and did not identify and manage key risks; (2) hurricane hunter replacement programs need more effective management and executive oversight; and (3) technically complex acquisition and development programs require mature systems engineering practices.

We made seven recommendations to help NOAA apply effective program management and oversight to these major acquisitions.

The GPO OIG Investigations Division investigated GPO-issued cell phones, comparing application data against GPO policy, particularly Section 7, Subsection C, paragraphs 6 and 14 of GPO Directive 825.29E on Internet and Email Policy.

This report presents the results of our audit of the Effectiveness of the New Regional Processing and Distribution Center in Boise, ID.

As part of its Delivering for America plan, the U.S. Postal Service plans to create a modernized network based around Regional Processing and Distribution Centers (RPDC), local processing centers and sorting and delivery centers. RPDCs merge mail processing into a central facility within a region to reduce transportation and improve service reliability. In July 2023, the Postal Service began consolidating operations into the Boise facility and in October 2024, officially recognized it as the fifth RPDC in its network. Efficient and effective RPDCs are critical to the success of the Postal Service’s Delivering for America plan and its goal of being financially self-sustaining.

The objective of this audit was to assess the operational impacts related to the launch of the RPDC and identify successes, opportunities, and lessons learned. We conducted observations of the Boise, ID, RPDC and analyzed supporting data.

Why We Did This Report

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General conducted this audit to determine the extent to which the EPA prioritizes and awards Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds to tribes through the Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Program and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants—Tribal Set-Aside Program, in accordance with applicable statutes, regulations, and EPA guidance.

Summary of Findings

The EPA’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA, funds for the Clean Water Indian Set-Aside, or CWISA, Program and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants—Tribal Set-Aside, or DWIG-TSA, Program, collectively referred to as the tribal set-aside programs, were not awarded in a timely manner. About $86.3 million, or roughly 57 percent, of the $152.1 million allocated in fiscal year 2022 IIJA tribal set-aside funds were not awarded to tribes in a timely manner. At the time of our data collection, about $125.3 million, or roughly 76 percent, of the $164.1 million allocated in FY 2023 IIJA tribal set-aside funds had not been awarded to tribes.

As of December 2023, about $140.6 million, or roughly 93 percent, of $152.0 million of the FYs 2022 and 2023 DWIG-TSA funds allocated for emerging contaminants and lead service line replacements had not been awarded to tribal projects.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) did not fully leverage its large-scale non-intrusive inspection (NII) systems to detect contraband coming into the United States, potentially wasting taxpayer funds, missing opportunities to detect and seize contraband, and losing an important tool to fight the fentanyl epidemic.