Water Quality: Agencies Should Take More Actions to Manage Risks from Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia
Fast Facts
Overgrown algae can make toxins and lead to hypoxia (depleted oxygen) in water bodies, harming people and animals. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and EPA lead a federal interagency working group to manage harmful algal blooms and hypoxia.
The working group agencies could do more to meet the goals they set in 2016, e.g., by expanding agency monitoring and forecasting of harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events in inland freshwater bodies.
Also, officials told us that more preventive action is needed—but the group's 2016 strategy doesn't include a prevention goal.
Our recommendations address these and other issues we found.
A harmful algal bloom in Milford Lake, Kansas, made the water appear bright green.
Highlights
What GAO Found
The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998, as amended, led to the establishment of a federal interagency working group to help address these environmental issues. The working group is co-chaired by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The working group has developed a national research plan and action strategy, as well as subsequent progress reports and other planning documents to guide its efforts, but it has not implemented a national program under the act. Consistent with leading program management practices, an important next step will be to define what such a program would entail. By doing so, the group would be better positioned to implement the program and enhance federal efforts to manage the risks of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia.
Federal agencies in the working group have taken actions to monitor and forecast harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events in some coastal regions and marine waters of the U.S. but have done less for inland freshwater bodies. NOAA has developed a framework to expand monitoring and forecasting of events in marine waters and the Great Lakes. However, EPA has not done the same for other freshwater bodies, in part because of the large number of inland freshwater bodies that exist. By developing interagency frameworks to expand freshwater monitoring and forecasting, EPA and the working group would be better positioned to manage the risks of such events.
Federal agencies in the working group have taken actions to help state, local, and tribal governments respond to harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events (see fig.). In addition, the working group and others have identified a need for more actions aimed at preventing these events. However, the group does not have a national goal to help focus agencies' efforts on prevention. By developing such a goal, the working group, led by NOAA and EPA, could help to increase federal attention on actions to prevent these events.
Harmful Algal Bloom Advisories Posted by States
Providing guidance to inform decisions on posting public health advisories is one of the ways that federal agencies assist state, local, and tribal governments.
Why GAO Did This Study
Harmful algal blooms—overgrowths of algae in water bodies—can produce toxins that harm humans and animals. These blooms are an environmental problem in all 50 states, according to EPA. Harmful algal blooms are also associated with some occurrences of hypoxia—depleted oxygen levels in a water body in which most animals cannot survive. Hypoxia can harm fisheries and disrupt ecosystems.
Under the act, the interagency working group, with NOAA and EPA leadership, is to maintain and enhance a national harmful algal bloom and hypoxia program, develop a comprehensive research plan and action strategy, and submit various reports to Congress.
GAO was asked to review federal efforts to manage harmful algal bloom and hypoxia risks. This report examines, among other things, (1) working group efforts to implement a national program; (2) agencies' actions to monitor and forecast harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events; and (3) agencies' actions to help state, local, and tribal governments respond to these events. GAO examined agency and working group documents and interviewed federal, state, local, and tribal officials with experience in responding to these events.
Recommendations
GAO is making six recommendations, including that NOAA and EPA define a national program and develop a national goal for prevention actions, and that EPA develop frameworks to expand freshwater monitoring and forecasting. NOAA and EPA agreed with GAO's recommendations.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Priority Rec.
The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working group, should document and define what a national HAB and hypoxia program would entail, including identifying the program's resource needs. (Recommendation 1) |
NOAA and EPA officials said that the IWG is working to develop a national program, including drafting associated goals and identifying resource needs. As of December 2024, NOAA and EPA officials said the information will be included in the forthcoming Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA) National Assessment, which will be delayed until at least summer 2025. These officials also stated that they plan to include information about the national program's structure and resource needs in the assessment. GAO will continue to follow up on the agencies' efforts and progress.
|
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working group, should develop performance measures to assess the working group's efforts, including the extent to which the recommended goals from the Research Plan and Action Strategy have been achieved. (Recommendation 2) |
NOAA and EPA agreed with this recommendation and in December 2024 stated that they are working on it together, in collaboration with the working group members. They anticipate the measures will be incorporated into the HABHRCA National Assessment, which has been delayed until at least summer 2025. GAO will continue to follow up on the agencies' efforts.
|
| Environmental Protection Agency |
Priority Rec.
The Administrator of EPA, working with the other members of the working group, should develop an interagency framework, including prioritizing water bodies and identifying resource needs, to expand monitoring of freshwater HABs and hypoxia. (Recommendation 3) |
EPA agreed with this recommendation and the benefit of an interagency framework to expand monitoring of freshwater HABs and hypoxia. In September 2024, EPA provided a document outlining a framework to increase the monitoring and forecasting of freshwater HABs and hypoxia. This framework identified priorities and initial resource needs for expanding freshwater monitoring and forecasting. According to the document, developed in collaboration with NOAA, the agencies aim to expand monitoring to at least 270,000 freshwater bodies across the country.
|
| Environmental Protection Agency |
Priority Rec.
The Administrator of EPA, working with the other members of the working group, should develop an interagency framework, including prioritizing water bodies and identifying resource needs, to expand forecasting of freshwater HABs and hypoxia. (Recommendation 4) |
EPA agreed with this recommendation and the benefit of an interagency framework to expand forecasting of freshwater HABs and hypoxia. In September 2024, EPA provided a document outlining a framework to increase the monitoring and forecasting of freshwater HABs and hypoxia. This framework identified priorities and initial resource needs for expanding freshwater monitoring and forecasting. According to the document, EPA researchers have developed an approach to integrate satellite data into statistical models to produce 7-day forecasts of HAB risks for the lakes monitored by the Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN). EPA is working to operationalize and deliver the forecasts.
|
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Priority Rec.
The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working group, should develop a national goal for the group focused on efforts to prevent HABs and hypoxia. (Recommendation 5) |
In December 2024, NOAA and EPA officials stated that they are developing a national goal focused on efforts to prevent HABs and hypoxia. The goal, which the officials provided, was developed in collaboration with members of the working group and is to disseminate information on anthropogenic drivers of HABs and hypoxia, including to help decision-makers prevent new or the expansion of existing HABs or hypoxia events. The officials stated that they plan to incorporate this goal into the forthcoming national assessment of HABs and hypoxia, which has been delayed until at least summer 2025. By developing and incorporating this goal into the national assessment, the agencies, through the working group, could help increase federal attention on preventative actions to reduce the risks that HABs and hypoxia pose to tribal, state, and local communities. GAO is waiting for the updated national assessment to be published to fully close this recommendation as implemented.
|
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working group, should coordinate the development of a more comprehensive body of information on the costs and benefits of mitigation, control, and prevention actions for use by state, local, and tribal governments. (Recommendation 6) |
NOAA and EPA agreed with this recommendation. In December 2024, the agencies stated that they are coordinating to develop a comprehensive body of information on the costs and benefits of mitigation, control, and prevention actions for use by state, local, and tribal governments. The agencies said the information would be available by December 2025. However, the agencies did not specify where this information will be made available. GAO will continue to follow up on this recommendation.
|
| Environmental Protection Agency |
Priority Rec.
The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working group, should document and define what a national HAB and hypoxia program would entail, including identifying the program's resource needs. (Recommendation 1) |
NOAA and EPA officials said that the IWG is working to develop a national program, including drafting associated goals and identifying resource needs. As of December 2024, NOAA and EPA officials said the information will be included in the forthcoming Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA) National Assessment, which will be delayed until at least summer 2025. These officials also stated that they plan to include information about the national program's structure and resource needs in the assessment. GAO will continue to follow up on the agencies' efforts and progress.
|
| Environmental Protection Agency | The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working group, should develop performance measures to assess the working group's efforts, including the extent to which the recommended goals from the Research Plan and Action Strategy have been achieved. (Recommendation 2) |
NOAA and EPA agreed with this recommendation and in December 2024 stated that they are working on it together, in collaboration with the working group members. They anticipate the measures will be incorporated into the HABHRCA National Assessment, which has been delayed until at least summer 2025. GAO will continue to follow up on the agencies' efforts.
|
| Environmental Protection Agency |
Priority Rec.
The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working group, should develop a national goal for the group focused on efforts to prevent HABs and hypoxia. (Recommendation 5) |
In December 2024, NOAA and EPA officials stated that they are developing a national goal focused on efforts to prevent HABs and hypoxia. The goal, which the officials provided, was developed in collaboration with members of the working group and is to disseminate information on anthropogenic drivers of HABs and hypoxia, including to help decision-makers prevent new or the expansion of existing HABs or hypoxia events. The officials stated that they plan to incorporate this goal into the forthcoming national assessment of HABs and hypoxia, which has been delayed until at least summer 2025. By developing and incorporating this goal into the national assessment, the agencies, through the working group, could help increase federal attention on preventative actions to reduce the risks that HABs and hypoxia pose to tribal, state, and local communities. GAO is waiting for the updated national assessment to be published to fully close this recommendation as implemented.
|
| Environmental Protection Agency | The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working group, should coordinate the development of a more comprehensive body of information on the costs and benefits of mitigation, control, and prevention actions for use by state, local, and tribal governments. (Recommendation 6) |
NOAA and EPA agreed with this recommendation. In December 2024, the agencies stated that they are coordinating to develop a comprehensive body of information on the costs and benefits of mitigation, control, and prevention actions for use by state, local, and tribal governments. The agencies said the information would be available by December 2025. However, the agencies did not specify where this information will be made available. GAO will continue to follow up on this recommendation.
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