EPA Needs To Improve Its Oversight of Air Pollution Control Grant Expenditures

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) air pollution control grant program authorized by the Clean Air Act.

Section 105 of the act authorizes EPA to award grants to state and local agencies to develop plans and implement programs to prevent and control air pollution or to address national air quality standards. GAO examined the EPA procedures and regulations for ensuring grantee compliance with section 105 provisions and EPA regulations and reviewed whether grantees are, in fact, meeting these requirements. GAO found that the three EPA regions reviewed were consulting with state officials and were satisfied that grantees were using the federal funds to supplement, not supplant, nonfederal funds for air pollution control. However, two of the regions had not ensured that all grantees complied with the level-of-effort requirement of the act or with EPA reporting requirements. GAO found numerous instances where unliquidated obligations were reported in final financial reports, in violation of reporting instructions. Of six grantees reviewed within the three EPA regions, four had submitted inaccurate or incomplete financial reports. Inspector General officials stated that they do not have the resources to audit the grantees' financial reports, and grant program officials stated that they lack the resources as well as the expertise to perform such audits.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Hugh J. Wessinger Team: General Accounting Office: Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division Phone: (202) 275-5489