Creation of a Department of Environmental Protection

GAO testified that conferring Cabinet status on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would enable the United States to respond more effectively to the complex environmental challenges it faces. However, regardless of whether EPA becomes a Cabinet department or remains an agency, it faces several fundamental organizational and management problems. Systems must be developed to provide adequate and accurate information that will support EPA's regulatory programs and measure environmental results. Accountability for correcting existing program weaknesses must be established. Limited resources must be better managed to achieve the nation's many environmental protection goals in the face of high public expectations.