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Open Recommendations

Persistent Chemicals: Additional EPA Actions Could Help Public Water Systems Address PFAS in Drinking Water
GAO-24-106523
Sep 24, 2024
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should publish a Small Entity Compliance Guide for the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation as soon as is feasible, to best support small public water systems preparing to comply with the PFAS maximum contaminant levels by April 2029. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Environmental Protection Agency The Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Water should, in consultation with partners from Tribes, states, regional offices, and outside organizations, identify barriers public water systems experience obtaining federal funding to address PFAS contamination and assess how best to disseminate information on such funding potentially available to these systems. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Environmental Protection Agency The Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Water should establish a time frame for issuing additional planned resources—such as fact sheets and templates—to help public water systems communicate with customers about PFAS health risks. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Environmental Protection Agency The Assistant Administrators of EPA's Office of Water and Office of Land and Emergency Management should summarize and consolidate existing regulations, policy, and guidance relevant to the disposal of PFAS-contaminated waste into a straightforward resource for public water systems. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Oil and Gas: Interior Urgently Needs Leadership and Oversight to Address IT System Development Failure
GAO-24-107223
Sep 10, 2024
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Interior The Secretary of the Interior should direct Interior's CIO to ensure its new IT investment baseline management policy meets OMB requirements and strengthens internal controls to ensure baselines are approved by appropriate milestones. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Interior The Secretary of the Interior should direct Interior's CIO to strengthen IT leadership and oversight by implementing leading practices in executive-level IT governance for major IT investments including the AFMSS 2 replacement. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Bureau of Land Management The Director of BLM should document concurrence from Interior's CIO that BLM is implementing policies and procedures for developing IT systems, including the AFMSS 2 replacement, that are in alignment with the CIO's direction. Such policies and procedures should include that root cause analyses and corrective action plans are completed for projects that exceed established cost, schedule, and performance thresholds. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Clean Water: Revolving Fund Grant Formula Could Better Reflect Infrastructure Needs, and EPA Could Improve Needs Estimate
GAO-24-106251
Aug 19, 2024
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Congress Congress should consider revising the allotment formula for the Clean Water SRF program to clearly align with the program's goals and requiring EPA to periodically calculate allotment percentages using the most recent data. For example, in developing a new formula, Congress should consider the types of variables, weights, and data sources used in the expert panel's formula in this report. (Matter for Consideration 1)
Open
GAO will follow up on this matter in the new congressional session.
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should ensure that the Director of the Office of Wastewater Management directly collects data on centralized clean water infrastructure needs from a sample of small communities, using an approach that is consistent with Office of Management and Budget survey guidance. (Recommendation 1)
Open
In its comments on the report, EPA agreed with this recommendation and said it is developing a statistical sampling proposal for the next Clean Watersheds Needs Survey. The Office of Management and Budget will need to approve this proposed approach. GAO will follow-up on the status of this recommendation.
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should ensure that the Director of the Office of Wastewater Management provides guidance to states to submit estimates of large communities' centralized clean water infrastructure needs for a minimum time frame, such as 5 years. (Recommendation 2)
Open
In its comments on the report, EPA agreed with this recommendation. It also stated that EPA cannot dictate how states collect data. Accordingly, EPA is considering updating its data entry portal to allow states to indicate the time frame over which the needs they submit will be implemented so EPA can make more accurate statements about needs. GAO will follow up on this recommendation.
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should ensure that the Director of the Office of Wastewater Management works with states that did not report any needs in one or more of the noncentralized clean water infrastructure need categories to use cost estimating tools and state-specific approaches to assess these needs for the next Clean Watersheds Needs Survey. (Recommendation 3)
Open
In its comments on the report, EPA generally agreed with this recommendation and said it will work with states that did not report any needs in one or more of the noncentralized categories. EPA also expressed concern that the national-level data sets required to build cost estimateion tools do not exist yet. However, it also stated that it will archive state-specific approaches to allow other states to use them in the next survey. GAO will follow up on this recommendation.

Forest Service: Fully Following Leading Practices for Agency Reforms Would Strengthen Prescribed Fire Program
GAO-24-106239
Jul 08, 2024
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Forest Service The Chief of the Forest Service should ensure the agency develops outcome-oriented goals and establishes performance measures to help assess the effectiveness of its hazardous fuels program, including its prescribed fire activities, in reducing wildfire risk. (Recommendation 1)
Open
The agency generally agreed with this recommendation. When we received additional information, we will update the status of this recommendation.
Forest Service The Chief of the Forest Service should ensure the agency develops and implements a strategic workforce plan for its prescribed fire program. (Recommendation 2)
Open
The agency generally agreed with this recommendation. When we received additional information, we will update the status of this recommendation.
Forest Service The Chief of the Forest Service should ensure the agency develops an implementation plan for its prescribed fire program reform efforts with key milestones and deliverables, and tracks implementation progress. (Recommendation 3)
Open
The agency generally agreed with this recommendation. When we received additional information, we will update the status of this recommendation.
Forest Service The Chief of the Forest Service should ensure the agency assesses the appropriate level of resources needed to maintain day-to-day management of its prescribed fire program reform efforts, and takes steps accordingly. (Recommendation 4)
Open
The agency generally agreed with this recommendation. When we received additional information, we will update the status of this recommendation.
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