EPA's Execution of Its Fiscal year 2007 New Budget Authority for the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program in the Regional Offices

Gao ID: GAO-08-1109R September 26, 2008

This letter responds to a mandate in House Report No. 110-187 that directed GAO to review the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) budget execution, specifically to identify the factors that influence EPA's operating plan allocations to the regional offices for a selected national program and to compare and contrast these operating plan allocations with EPA's reported obligations in the regional offices. After discussing this mandate with your offices, we focused our review on EPA's enforcement and compliance assurance program in the regional offices. EPA, in partnership with state agencies, oversees compliance with 44 separate environmental programs. These programs regulate facilities--such as sewage treatment plants, petroleum refineries, and power plants--whose operations could pollute the air, water, and land, and thereby endanger public health and the environment. EPA and its regulatory partners are responsible for ensuring that these regulated facilities comply with program requirements and taking enforcement action in instances of noncompliance. EPA administers its environmental enforcement and compliance assurance responsibilities through its headquarters Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). While OECA provides overall direction on enforcement policies, and sometimes takes direct enforcement action, EPA's 10 regional offices are responsible for carrying out much of EPA's enforcement activities. The regional offices are responsible for monitoring regulated facilities' compliance, taking direct enforcement action, and providing compliance assistance and incentives to regulated facilities. Many federal environmental statutes, such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, direct EPA to approve or authorize qualified states to implement and enforce environmental programs consistent with federal requirements. Over the years, states have increased their inspection and enforcement activities. Today most states have responsibility for multiple EPA programs. As a result, EPA regional offices are now more actively involved in coordinating with and conducting oversight of states that have been granted enforcement authority and providing guidance, training, and technical assistance. The regions are also responsible for implementing programs in Indian country and in states that do not have enforcement authority for particular programs.

We found that EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan allocated to the regional offices approximately 72 percent ($184 million) of its fiscal year 2007 new budget authority associated with the four enforcement and compliance assurance program/projects that we reviewed. We found only small differences between these amounts and the amounts reported as obligated in the regional offices. Specifically, EPA reported as obligated in its regional offices about $179 million, or 2.6 percent less than the amounts allocated in the operating plan. EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan allocated to the regional offices about $184 million of the EPM appropriation account for the four enforcement and compliance assurance program/projects--civil enforcement, compliance assistance and centers, compliance incentives, and compliance monitoring. This represented about 72 percent of the total fiscal year 2007 new budget authority provided by the EPM appropriation account for these program/projects (see enc. I for details on the 10 regional offices). Only Small Differences Existed between the Amounts EPA Allocated to the Regional Offices in Its Fiscal Year 2007 Operating Plan and the Amounts Reported as Obligated in the Regional Offices EPA reported as obligated in its regional offices about $179 million of fiscal year 2007 new budget authority provided by its EPM appropriation for the four enforcement and compliance assurance program/projects. This was about $4.8 million, or 2.6 percent less than the amounts allocated to the regional offices in the agency's operating plan.



GAO-08-1109R, EPA's Execution of Its Fiscal year 2007 New Budget Authority for the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program in the Regional Offices This is the accessible text file for GAO report number GAO-08-1109R entitled 'EPA's Execution of Its Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority for the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program in the Regional Offices' which was released on September 29, 2008. This text file was formatted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to be accessible to users with visual impairments, as part of a longer term project to improve GAO products' accessibility. Every attempt has been made to maintain the structural and data integrity of the original printed product. Accessibility features, such as text descriptions of tables, consecutively numbered footnotes placed at the end of the file, and the text of agency comment letters, are provided but may not exactly duplicate the presentation or format of the printed version. The portable document format (PDF) file is an exact electronic replica of the printed version. We welcome your feedback. Please E-mail your comments regarding the contents or accessibility features of this document to Webmaster@gao.gov. This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. It may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. Because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately. GAO-08-1109R: United States Government Accountability Office: Washington, DC 20548: September 26, 2008: The Honorable Dianne Feinstein: Chairman: The Honorable Wayne Allard: Ranking Member: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies: Committee on Appropriations: United States Senate: The Honorable Norman D. Dicks: Chairman: The Honorable Todd Tiahrt: Ranking Member: Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies: Committee on Appropriations: House of Representatives: Subject: EPA's Execution of Its Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority for the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program in the Regional Offices: This letter responds to a mandate in House Report No. 110-187 that directed GAO to review the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) budget execution, specifically to identify the factors that influence EPA's operating plan allocations to the regional offices for a selected national program and to compare and contrast these operating plan allocations with EPA's reported obligations in the regional offices. After discussing this mandate with your offices, we focused our review on EPA's enforcement and compliance assurance program in the regional offices. EPA, in partnership with state agencies, oversees compliance with 44 separate environmental programs. These programs regulate facilities-- such as sewage treatment plants, petroleum refineries, and power plants--whose operations could pollute the air, water, and land, and thereby endanger public health and the environment. EPA and its regulatory partners are responsible for ensuring that these regulated facilities comply with program requirements and taking enforcement action in instances of noncompliance. EPA administers its environmental enforcement and compliance assurance responsibilities through its headquarters Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). While OECA provides overall direction on enforcement policies, and sometimes takes direct enforcement action, EPA's 10 regional offices are responsible for carrying out much of EPA's enforcement activities. The regional offices are responsible for monitoring regulated facilities' compliance, taking direct enforcement action, and providing compliance assistance and incentives to regulated facilities. Many federal environmental statutes, such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, direct EPA to approve or authorize qualified states to implement and enforce environmental programs consistent with federal requirements. Over the years, states have increased their inspection and enforcement activities. Today most states have responsibility for multiple EPA programs. As a result, EPA regional offices are now more actively involved in coordinating with and conducting oversight of states that have been granted enforcement authority and providing guidance, training, and technical assistance. The regions are also responsible for implementing programs in Indian country and in states that do not have enforcement authority for particular programs.[Footnote 1] On March 15, 2007, in accordance with the Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007,[Footnote 2] EPA finalized and submitted its fiscal year 2007 operating plan to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.[Footnote 3] This operating plan only took into account EPA's newly enacted budget authority for fiscal year 2007.[Footnote 4] The operating plan organized this budget authority by the agency's major program areas of responsibility called program/ projects.[Footnote 5] EPA program/projects describe what the agency does based on specific statutory authority (program) or what significant tasks or problems the agency is addressing (projects). After discussing this mandate with your offices, we focused our review on EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan described above for the enforcement and compliance assurance program and the reported obligations of the budget authority allocated in that plan in EPA's Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS). The operating plan described the amounts EPA allocated to 14 program/projects to meet its enforcement and compliance assurance responsibilities.[Footnote 6] We also included a focus on whether EPA has implemented management systems to assess how regional offices meet the requirements of EPA's enforcement and compliance assurance program, and whether EPA has systems in place to effectively respond to changes in its enforcement responsibilities and recent fiscal constraints. We reported on some of these issues in 2001 and 2005, particularly the challenges that OECA and other EPA offices have faced in developing an effective data-driven resource allocation system.[Footnote 7] In this context, we reviewed (1) EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan allocations of new budget authority to the regional offices for enforcement and compliance assurance program/projects and (2) differences, if any, between those amounts and the amounts reported as obligated in the regional offices for these program/projects. In responding to these objectives, we also reviewed OECA's workforce planning system to determine whether EPA has reliable enforcement workload information that can support accurate, data-driven resource allocations. On May 2, 2008, we briefed professional staff from the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on the results of our review (see enc. I). This letter summarizes the main points from our briefing. At the request of the subcommittee, we are also providing summary information on our past reports that reviewed whether OECA's workforce planning system provided reliable information on EPA's enforcement workload that could support a systematic, data-driven process for allocating resources (see enc. II) and managerial cost accounting (MCA) in the federal government and our prior reviews of MCA practices in executive branch agencies (see enc. III). In consultation with your offices, we selected for our review four program/projects that encompass EPA's core enforcement and compliance assurance program and that are critical to ensuring compliance with federal environmental laws: (1) civil enforcement, (2) compliance assistance and centers, (3) compliance incentives, and (4) compliance monitoring.[Footnote 8] These program/projects composed about 50 percent of the total $524 million of fiscal year 2007 new budget authority allocated in EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan for the agency's enforcement and compliance assurance program.[Footnote 9] We focused only on EPA's fiscal year 2007 Environmental Program and Management (EPM) appropriation account because it provided about 98 percent of the fiscal year 2007 new budget authority for the four program/projects selected for our review.[Footnote 10] To review fiscal year 2007 new budget authority and reported obligations of that budget authority for the four program/projects in EPA's 10 regional offices, we obtained detailed budget and financial data from EPA's Integrated Financial Management System. To complete our review, we met with officials from EPA's Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) and OECA in EPA headquarters. We conducted this performance audit from September 2007 through July 2008, in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. In summary, we found that EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan allocated to the regional offices approximately 72 percent ($184 million) of its fiscal year 2007 new budget authority associated with the four enforcement and compliance assurance program/projects that we reviewed. We found only small differences between these amounts and the amounts reported as obligated in the regional offices. Specifically, EPA reported as obligated in its regional offices about $179 million, or 2.6 percent less than the amounts allocated in the operating plan. EPA's Fiscal Year 2007 Operating Plan Allocated to the Regional Offices about 72 Percent of the Resources under Review for the Four Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program/Projects: EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan allocated to the regional offices about $184 million of the EPM appropriation account for the four enforcement and compliance assurance program/projects--civil enforcement, compliance assistance and centers, compliance incentives, and compliance monitoring. This represented about 72 percent of the total fiscal year 2007 new budget authority provided by the EPM appropriation account for these program/projects (see enc. I for details on the 10 regional offices). Only Small Differences Existed between the Amounts EPA Allocated to the Regional Offices in Its Fiscal Year 2007 Operating Plan and the Amounts Reported as Obligated in the Regional Offices: EPA reported as obligated in its regional offices about $179 million of fiscal year 2007 new budget authority provided by its EPM appropriation for the four enforcement and compliance assurance program/projects. This was about $4.8 million, or 2.6 percent less than the amounts allocated to the regional offices in the agency's operating plan as shown in table 1 (see enc. I for details on the 10 regional offices). [Footnote 11] Table 1: EPA's Fiscal Year 2007 Operating Plan Allocations to the Regional Offices of New Budget Authority Provided by the EPM Appropriation and Obligations of That Budget Authority for Four Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program/Projects (Dollars in thousands): Program/project: Regional total; New budget authority: $183,979; Obligations: $179,213.7; Difference between new budget authority and obligations in dollars: $4,765.3; Difference between new budget authority and obligations in percent: 2.59%. Program/project: Civil enforcement; New budget authority: $100,132; Obligations: $98,349.9; Difference between new budget authority and obligations in dollars: $1,782.1; Difference between new budget authority and obligations in percent: 1.78. Program/project: Compliance assistance and centers; New budget authority: $20,837; Obligations: $19,965.2; Difference between new budget authority and obligations in dollars: $871.8; Difference between new budget authority and obligations in percent: 4.18. Program/project: Compliance incentives; New budget authority: $5,105; Obligations: $4,413.3; Difference between new budget authority and obligations in dollars: $691.7; Difference between new budget authority and obligations in percent: 13.55. Program/project: Compliance monitoring; New budget authority: $57,905; Obligations: $56,485.3; Difference between new budget authority and obligations in dollars: $1,419.7; Difference between new budget authority and obligations in percent: 2.45%. Source: GAO analysis of EPA data. [End of table] EPA Lacks Current Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Information to Guide a Systematic Approach to Resource Allocations in the Regional Offices: In the course of our work, we noticed EPA's approach to allocating resources in its operating plan to its regional offices has not substantially changed since we reported on it in 2001 and 2005. [Footnote 12] We reported in 2001 that OECA deployed its enforcement and compliance assurance workforce largely on the basis of workload models that were developed and last updated in the 1980s and did not consider current workload information such as the increased role states assumed over the years in environmental enforcement. We reported in 2005 that EPA's process for allocating resources involved making annual incremental adjustments and relied primarily on historical precedent. EPA did not have a system in place to conduct a bottom-up review of the nature or distribution of its current workload, which has changed over time as EPA has taken on new responsibilities under the Clean Water Act and other laws and the states gradually assumed a greater role in the day-to-day implementation of key aspects of this workload.[Footnote 13] We specifically recommended in 2005 that EPA focus its efforts on a ground level assessment and (1) identify key workload indicators that drive resource needs, (2) ensure that relevant data are complete and reliable, and (3) use the results to inform the agency's resource allocations. In both reports, we noted that one obstacle to developing a more systematic, data-driven approach to resource allocations was that EPA lacks complete and reliable workforce planning information, such as how much time staff work on various types of enforcement activities. In responding to our 2005 report, EPA voiced concerns that a bottom-up workload assessment contrasts with its approach, which links budgeting and resource allocation to performance goals and results. However, we maintain that periodically assessing workload and how it drives resource needs is fully compatible with and would enhance EPA's approach. Comments from the Environmental Protection Agency: In written comments on the draft report, EPA generally agreed with the information presented. EPA also provided some technical comments on the report, which we have incorporated as appropriate in the report. EPA's written comments are reprinted in Enclosure IV. We are sending copies of this report to appropriate congressional committees, the Administrator of EPA, and other interested parties. We will also make copies available to others on request. In addition, the report will be available at no charge on the GAO Web site at [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. If you or your staffs have any questions about this report, please contact me at 202-512-3841 or stephensonj@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this report. Key contributors to this report were Ed Kratzer, Assistant Director; Mark Braza; Carlos Diz; Brian M. Friedman; Donald Neff; Jacqueline Nowicki; Alison O'Neill; Sheila Rajabiun; Michael Sagalow; John C. Smith; Jeanette Soares; and Jack Warner. Signed by: John B. Stephenson: Director, Natural Resources and Environment: Enclosures: [End of section] Enclosure I: Briefing to the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives: Background: House Report No. 110-187 directed GAO to review the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) budget execution to address questions raised by the House Appropriations Subcommittee about how EPA allocates funds to its regional offices and how the regional offices obligate these funds for individual programs and projects. Subcommittee professional staff directed GAO to focus the review on EPA's enforcement and compliance assurance program in the regional offices, which is an area of primary concern to the subcommittee. Specifically, the subcommittee professional staff said their concerns could be satisfied by a descriptive review of (1) EPA's allocations of budget authority to the regional offices for enforcement and compliance assurance program/ projects in the agency's operating plan and (2) changes, if any, EPA made in the fiscal year 2007 operating plan to the budget authority allocated for enforcement and compliance assurance in the regional offices and the fiscal year 2007 obligations. In addition, subcommittee staff said they need to understand whether budget authority allocated in the operating plan for civil enforcement is being reprogrammed and obligated for nonenforcement activities. Table 2: Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority Allocated to Selected Program/Projects in EPA's Beginning of Year Operating Plan, End of Year Operating Plan, Total Net Change in Budget Authority during the Year, and Fiscal Year 2007 Obligations of New Budget Authority: Dollars in thousands; Fiscal year 2007; New budget authority; Appropriation and program/project: Beginning of year[A]: End of year[B]: Net change during year: Obligations[C]: Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Total for four program/projects; Beginning of year[A]: $257,447; End of year[B]: $256,830.2; Net change during year: -$616.8; -0.24%; Obligations[C]: $246,657.0. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Beginning of year[A]: $125,578; End of year[B]: $125,078.5; Net change during year: -$499.5; -0.40%; Obligations[C]: $121,905.4. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Beginning of year[A]: $29,170; End of year[B]: $29,253; Net change during year: $83; 0.28%; Obligations[C]: $27,238.7. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Beginning of year[A]: $9,755; End of year[B]: $9,284.6; Net change during year: -$470.4; -4.82%; Obligations[C]: $8,477.1. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Beginning of year[A]: $92,944; End of year[B]: $93,214.1; Net change during year: $270.1; 0.29%; Obligations[C]: $89,035.8. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Total for four program/projects: Beginning of year[A]: $2,225; End of year[B]: $2,343; Net change during year: $118; 5.30%; Obligations[C]: $2,128.1. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Civil enforcement; Beginning of year[A]: $880; End of year[B]: $880; Net change during year: 0; 0%; Obligations[C]: $726.3. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance assistance and centers; Beginning of year[A]: $22; End of year[B]: $22; Net change during year: 0; 0%; Obligations[C]: $11.1. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance incentives; Beginning of year[A]: $141; End of year[B]: $141; Net change during year: 0; 0%; Obligations[C]: $120.5. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance monitoring; Beginning of year[A]: $1,182; End of year[B]: $1,300; Net change during year: $118; 9.98%; Obligations[C]: $1,270.2. Appropriation and program/project: Leaking underground storage tanks; Compliance assistance and centers; Beginning of year[A]: $724; End of year[B]: $671.6; Net change during year: -$52.4; -7.24%; Obligations[C]: $522.5. Appropriation and program/project: Oil spill response; Total for two program/projects; Beginning of year[A]: $2,007; End of year[B]: $2,006.9; Net change during year: -$0.1; -0.005%; Obligations[C]: $1,788.9. Appropriation and program/project: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Beginning of year[A]: $1,730; End of year[B]: $1,729.9; Net change during year: -0.1; -0.01%; Obligations[C]: $1,530.0. Appropriation and program/project: Oil spill response; Compliance assistance and centers; Beginning of year[A]: $277; End of year[B]: $277; Net change during year: 0; 0%; Obligations[C]: $258.9. Source: GAO analysis of EPA data. [A] Beginning of year fiscal year 2007 new budget authority are allocations that EPA reported in the fiscal year 2007 operating plan that it submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on March 15, 2007. These allocations reflect budget authority enacted for the entire fiscal year 2007, October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2007. EPA referred to these amounts as Total 2007 Enacted in its fiscal year 2007 operating plan. [B] End of year fiscal year 2007 new budget authority represents amounts allocated in EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan as of September 30, 2007. EPA reported this plan in the agency's Integrated Financial Management System. [C] Fiscal year 2007 obligations are reported obligations of fiscal year 2007 new budget authority from EPA's Integrated Financial Management System. These obligations are not EPA's total fiscal year 2007 obligations for the four selected program/projects because the above amounts do not include unexpired prior year budget authority that was available for obligation in fiscal year 2007. [End of table] Summary Highlights: This analysis focused on EPA's Environmental Program and Management (EPM) Appropriation: Allocations to the regional offices: * EPA allocated over half the fiscal year 2007 new budget authority for the four program/projects to the regions: - Civil enforcement--$100.1 million, or 79.7 percent; - Compliance assistance and centers--$20.8 million, or 71.4 percent; - Compliance incentives--$5.1 million, or 52.3 percent; and: - Compliance monitoring--$57.9 million, or 62.3 percent. Fiscal Year 2007 Obligations of Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority: * Payroll made up the bulk of EPA's fiscal year 2007 obligations for the selected program/projects in the regions. Operating Plan Changes in New Budget Authority between the Beginning and End of Fiscal Year 2007[Footnote 14]: * Overall, there was a $616,800 (0.24 percent) net decrease in the total allocation to the four selected program/projects. The total allocation to the four program/projects in the regions decreased $241,100, or 0.13 percent. * Changes in individual regional offices to selected program/projects were small and varied: - The largest dollar change was in Region 10 (Seattle)--a net increase of $410,600, or 10.88 percent, in the allocations for compliance monitoring. * For the four program/projects agencywide, the largest change was a net decrease in civil enforcement ($499,500, or 0.4 percent). The bulk of this was due to net change of $448,110 in four OECA headquarters units: - Office of Assistant Administrator--a decrease of $202,200, or 5.3 percent; - Office of Compliance--a decrease of $150,000, or 56.4 percent; - Office of Civil Enforcement--a decrease of $114,400, or 0.6 percent; - Office of Site Remediation Enforcement--a decrease of $43,000, or 6.9 percent. * The total regional allocation for civil enforcement decreased $51,400. - The largest changes were in Region 5 (Chicago)--a decrease of $302,500, or 1.73 percent; and Region 6 (Dallas)--an increase of $300,000, or 2.20 percent. - Region 4 (Atlanta) had no change. GAO Reported in 2001 and 2005 that EPA Lacked Current Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Information to Guide a Systematic Approach to Resource Allocations in the Regional Offices: * We reported in 2001 that OECA deployed its enforcement and compliance assurance workforce largely on the basis of workload models that were last updated in the 1980s and did not consider current workload information.[Footnote 15] We reported in 2005 that EPA's process for allocating resources involved making annual incremental adjustments and relied primarily on historical precedent.[Footnote 16] EPA did not have a system in place to conduct a bottom-up review of the nature or distribution of its current workload, which has changed over time as EPA has taken on new responsibilities under the Clean Water Act and other laws. We specifically recommended in 2005 that EPA focus its efforts on a ground level assessment and (1) identify key workload indicators that drive resource needs, (2) ensure that relevant data are complete and reliable, and (3) use the results to inform the agency's resource allocations. In 2001 and 2005, we noted that one obstacle to developing a more systematic, data-driven approach to resource allocations was that EPA lacks complete and reliable workforce planning information, such as how much time staff work on various types of enforcement activities. Scope and Methodology: To complete this briefing we met with officials from the EPA Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) and the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance in EPA headquarters between October 2007 and May 2008. We also reviewed reported budget and obligations data for EPA's headquarters and regional offices from the agency's Integrated Financial Management Information System. This review focused on: * EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan submitted to EPA's House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on March 15, 2007, and the fiscal year 2007 obligations of the budget authority in this plan. * Fiscal year 2007 new budget authority and fiscal year 2007 obligations of this budget authority.[Footnote 17] * The enforcement and compliance assurance program in the regional offices.[Footnote 18] * Four selected program activities, called "program/projects."[Footnote 19] * New budget authority allocated to the regional offices for the selected program/projects came from three of EPA's fiscal year 2007 appropriations: 1. Environmental Program and Management (2-year budget authority); 2. Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (no-year budget authority), 3. Oil Spill Response (no-year budget authority). We focused only on EPA's fiscal year 2007 Environmental Program and Management appropriation account because it provided about 98 percent of the fiscal year 2007 new budget authority for the four program/ projects selected for our review. Enclosure I: Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority Allocated to the Selected Program/Projects in the Beginning of the Year in EPA's Fiscal Year 2007 Operating Plan Submitted to EPA's House and Senate Committees on Appropriations and Fiscal Year 2007 Obligations of This New Budget Authority (Dollars in thousands); Fiscal year 2007; Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; New budget authority[A](1): $125,578; Obligations[B](2): $121,905.4; Difference (2 minus 1): -$3,672.6; -2.92%. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; New budget authority[A](1): $29,170; Obligations[B](2): $27,238.7; Difference (2 minus 1): -$1,931.3; -6.62%. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; New budget authority[A](1): $9,755; Obligations[B](2): $8,477.1; Difference (2 minus 1): -$1,277.9; -13.10%. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; New budget authority[A](1): $92,944; Obligations[B](2): $89,035.8; Difference (2 minus 1): -$3,908.2; -4.20%. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Civil enforcement; New budget authority[A](1): $880; Obligations[B](2): $726.3; Difference (2 minus 1): -$153.7; -17.47%. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance assistance and centers; New budget authority[A](1): $22; Obligations[B](2): $11.1; Difference (2 minus 1): -$10.9; -49.55%. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance incentives; New budget authority[A](1): $141; Obligations[B](2): $120.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$20.5; -14.54%. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance monitoring; New budget authority[A](1): $1,182; Obligations[B](2): $1,270.2; Difference (2 minus 1): $88.2; 7.46%. Appropriation and program/project: Leaking underground storage tanks; Compliance assistance and centers; New budget authority[A](1): $724; Obligations[B](2): $522.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$201.5; -27.83%. Appropriation and program/project: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; New budget authority[A](1): $1,730; Obligations[B](2): $1,530; Difference (2 minus 1): -$200; -11.56%. Appropriation and program/project: Oil spill response; Compliance assistance and centers; New budget authority[A](1): $277; Obligations[B](2): $258.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$18.1; -6.53%. Source: GAO analysis of EPA data. [A] New budget authority are allocations that EPA reported in the fiscal year 2007 operating plan that it submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on March 15, 2007. These allocations reflect budget authority enacted for the entire fiscal year 2007: October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2007. EPA refers to these amounts as Total 2007 Enacted in its fiscal year 2007 operating plan. [B] Fiscal year 2007 obligations are reported obligations of fiscal year 2007 new budget authority in EPA's Integrated Financial Management System. These obligations are not EPA's total fiscal year 2007 obligations for the four selected program/projects because the above amounts do not include unexpired prior year budget authority that was available for obligation in fiscal year 2007. [End of table] Enclosure II: EPA's Total Fiscal Year 2007 Obligations, Obligations of Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority, and Fiscal Year 2007 Carryover for the Selected EPA Program/Projects (Dollars in thousands); Fiscal year 2007: Environmental program and management; Total for four program/projects; Total obligations: $251,404; Obligations of new budget authority: $246,657; Carryover: $4,747; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 1.89%. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Total obligations: $123,003.7; Obligations of new budget authority: $121,905.4; Carryover: $1,098.3; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 0.89%. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Total obligations: $28,226.9; Obligations of new budget authority: $27,238.7; Carryover: $988.2; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 3.50%. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Total obligations: $9,448.8; Obligations of new budget authority: $8,477.1; Carryover: $971.7; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 10.28%. Appropriation and program/project: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Total obligations: $90,724.6; Obligations of new budget authority: $89,035.8; Carryover: $1,688.8; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 1.86%. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Total for four program/projects; Total obligations: $2,376.7; Obligations of new budget authority: $2,128.1; Carryover: $248.6; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 10.46%. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Civil enforcement; Total obligations: $739.2; Obligations of new budget authority: $726.3; Carryover: $12.9; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 1.75%. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance assistance and centers; Total obligations: $11.1; Obligations of new budget authority: $11.1; Carryover: 0; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 0. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance incentives; Total obligations: $139.4; Obligations of new budget authority: $120.5; Carryover: $18.9; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 13.56%. Appropriation and program/project: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance monitoring; Total obligations: $1,487; Obligations of new budget authority: $1,270.2; Carryover: $216.8; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 14.58%. Appropriation and program/project: Leaking underground storage tanks; Compliance assistance and centers; Total obligations: $644.1; Obligations of new budget authority: $522.5; Carryover: $121.6; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 18.88%. Appropriation and program/project: Oil spill response; Total for two program/projects; Total obligations: $1,929.4; Obligations of new budget authority: $1,788.9; Carryover: $140.5; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 7.28%. Appropriation and program/project: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Total obligations: $1,661.5; Obligations of new budget authority: $1,530; Carryover: $131.5; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 7.91%. Appropriation and program/project: Oil spill response; Compliance assistance and centers; Total obligations: $267.9; Obligations of new budget authority: $258.9; Carryover: $9; Carryover as a share of total obligations: 3.36%. Source: GAO analysis of EPA data. Notes: Carryover refers to balances of unexpired prior year budget authority that were available for obligation in fiscal year 2007. All reported obligations shown in this table are from EPA's Integrated Financial Management System. [End of table] Enclosure III: Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority Allocated to the Selected Program/Projects in EPA's Beginning of Year Operating Plan, End of Year Operating Plan, and Total Net Change in Budget Authority during the Year; Fiscal year 2007 new budget authority; (Dollars in thousands): Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Headquarters total; Beginning of year[A](1): $25,446; End of year[B](2): $24,997.9; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$448.1; Net change during year; (in percent): -1.76%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region total; Beginning of year[A](1): $100,132; End of year[B](2): $100,080.6; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$51.4; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.05%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region 1, Boston; Beginning of year[A](1): $5,902; End of year[B](2): $5,861.9; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$40.1; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.68%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region 2, New York; Beginning of year[A](1): $11,599; End of year[B](2): $11,530; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$69; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.59%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region 3, Philadelphia; Beginning of year[A](1): $9,884; End of year[B](2): $9,875; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$9; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.09%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region 4, Atlanta; Beginning of year[A](1): $13,098; End of year[B](2): $13,098; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region 5, Chicago; Beginning of year[A](1): $17,484; End of year[B](2): $17,181.5; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$302.5; Net change during year; (in percent): -1.73%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region 6, Dallas; Beginning of year[A](1): $13,606; End of year[B](2): $13,906; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $300; Net change during year; (in percent): 2.20%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region 7, Kansas City; Beginning of year[A](1): $4,804; End of year[B](2): $5,048.2; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $244.2; Net change during year; (in percent): 5.08%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region 8, Denver; Beginning of year[A](1): $7,252; End of year[B](2): $7,076.2; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$175.8; Net change during year; (in percent): -2.42%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region 9, San Francisco; Beginning of year[A](1): $10,420; End of year[B](2): $10,480; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $60; Net change during year; (in percent): 0.58%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement; Region 10, Seattle; Beginning of year[A](1): $6,083; End of year[B](2): $6,023.8; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$59.2; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.97%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Headquarters total; Beginning of year[A](1): $8,333; End of year[B](2): $8,440.9; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $107.9; Net change during year; (in percent): 1.29%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region total; Beginning of year[A](1): $20,837; End of year[B](2): $20,812.1; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$24.9; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.12%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 1, Boston; Beginning of year[A](1): $1,801; End of year[B](2): $1,705.9; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$95.1; Net change during year; (in percent): -5.28%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 2, New York; Beginning of year[A](1): $2,512; End of year[B](2): $2,762; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $250; Net change during year; (in percent): 9.95%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 3, Philadelphia; Beginning of year[A](1): $1,737; End of year[B](2): $1,737; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 4, Atlanta; Beginning of year[A](1): $2,761; End of year[B](2): $2,760.1; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$0.9; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.03%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 5, Chicago; Beginning of year[A](1): $3,038; End of year[B](2): $3,133; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $95; Net change during year; (in percent): 3.13%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 6, Dallas; Beginning of year[A](1): $2,503; End of year[B](2): $2,303; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$200; Net change during year; (in percent): -7.99. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 7, Kansas City; Beginning of year[A](1): $1,077; End of year[B](2): $1,147.7; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $70.7; Net change during year; (in percent): 6.56%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 8, Denver; Beginning of year[A](1): $1,266; End of year[B](2): $1,244.4; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$21.6; Net change during year; (in percent): -1.71%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 9, San Francisco; Beginning of year[A](1): $2,166; End of year[B](2): $2,064; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$102; Net change during year; (in percent): -4.71%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 10, Seattle; Beginning of year[A](1): $1,976; End of year[B](2): $1,955; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$21; Net change during year; (in percent): -1.06%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Headquarters total; Beginning of year[A](1): $4,650; End of year[B](2): $4,650; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region total; Beginning of year[A](1): $5,105; End of year[B](2): $4,634.6; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$470.4; Net change during year; (in percent): -9.21%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region 1, Boston; Beginning of year[A](1): $1,054; End of year[B](2): $711; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$343; Net change during year; (in percent): -32.54%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region 2, New York; Beginning of year[A](1): $626; End of year[B](2): $676; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $50; Net change during year; (in percent): 7.99%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region 3, Philadelphia; Beginning of year[A](1): $510; End of year[B](2): $530; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $20; Net change during year; (in percent): 3.92%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region 4, Atlanta; Beginning of year[A](1): $608; End of year[B](2): $608; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region 5, Chicago; Beginning of year[A](1): $680; End of year[B](2): $585; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$95; Net change during year; (in percent): -13.97%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region 6, Dallas; Beginning of year[A](1): $540; End of year[B](2): $430; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$110; Net change during year; (in percent): -20.37%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region 7, Kansas City; Beginning of year[A](1): $371; End of year[B](2): $371; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region 8, Denver; Beginning of year[A](1): $120; End of year[B](2): $121.2; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $1.2; Net change during year; (in percent): 1.00%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region 9, San Francisco; Beginning of year[A](1): $457; End of year[B](2): $515.4; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $58.4; Net change during year; (in percent): 12.78. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance incentives; Region 10, Seattle; Beginning of year[A](1): $139; End of year[B](2): $87; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$52; Net change during year; (in percent): -37.41%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Headquarters total; Beginning of year[A](1): $35,039; End of year[B](2): $35,003.5; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$35.5; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.10%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region total; Beginning of year[A](1): $57,905; End of year[B](2): $58,210.6; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $305.6; Net change during year; (in percent): 0.53%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region 1, Boston; Beginning of year[A](1): $4,316; End of year[B](2): $4,568.5; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $252.5; Net change during year; (in percent): 5.85%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region 2, New York; Beginning of year[A](1): $6,606; End of year[B](2): $6,503.8; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$102.2; Net change during year; (in percent): -1.55%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region 3, Philadelphia; Beginning of year[A](1): $5,430; End of year[B](2): $5,388.9; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$41.1; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.76%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region 4, Atlanta; Beginning of year[A](1): $7,853; End of year[B](2): $7,869.6; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $16.6; Net change during year; (in percent): 0.21%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region 5, Chicago; Beginning of year[A](1): $8,792; End of year[B](2): $8,730.3; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$61.7; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.70%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region 6, Dallas; Beginning of year[A](1): $7,744; End of year[B](2): $7,746.5; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $2.5; Net change during year; (in percent): 0.03%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region 7, Kansas City; Beginning of year[A](1): $4,613; End of year[B](2): $4,623; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $10; Net change during year; (in percent): 0.22%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region 8, Denver; Beginning of year[A](1): $3,125; End of year[B](2): $2,951.8; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$173.2; Net change during year; (in percent): -5.54%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region 9, San Francisco; Beginning of year[A](1): $5,653; End of year[B](2): $5,644.6; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$8.4; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.15%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring; Region 10, Seattle; Beginning of year[A](1): $3,773; End of year[B](2): $4,183.6; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $410.6; Net change during year; (in percent): 10.88%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Hazardous substance superfund; Civil enforcement; Headquarters total; Beginning of year[A](1): $880; End of year[B](2): $880; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance assistance and centers; Headquarters total; Beginning of year[A](1): $22; End of year[B](2): $22; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance incentives; Headquarters total; Beginning of year[A](1): $141; End of year[B](2): $141; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Hazardous substance superfund; Compliance monitoring; Headquarters total; Beginning of year[A](1): $1,182; End of year[B](2): $1,300; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $118; Net change during year; (in percent): 9.98%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Compliance assistance and centers; Region total; Beginning of year[A](1): $724; End of year[B](2): $671.6; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$52.4; Net change during year; (in percent): -7.24%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 1, Boston; Beginning of year[A](1): $89; End of year[B](2): $89; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 3, Philadelphia; Beginning of year[A](1): $113; End of year[B](2): $64; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$49; Net change during year; (in percent): -43.36%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 4, Atlanta; Beginning of year[A](1): $110; End of year[B](2): $110; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 5, Chicago; Beginning of year[A](1): $126; End of year[B](2): $126; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 6, Dallas; Beginning of year[A](1): $110; End of year[B](2): $110; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 7, Kansas City; Beginning of year[A](1): $20; End of year[B](2): $20; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 8, Denver; Beginning of year[A](1): $77; End of year[B](2): $82.5; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $5.5; Net change during year; (in percent): 7.14%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 9, San Francisco; Beginning of year[A](1): $30; End of year[B](2): $31; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $1; Net change during year; (in percent): 3.33%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Compliance assistance and centers; Region 10, Seattle; Beginning of year[A](1): $49; End of year[B](2): $39.1; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$9.9; Net change during year; (in percent): -20.20%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Headquarters total; Beginning of year[A](1): $168; End of year[B](2): $170.1; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $2.1; Net change during year; (in percent): 1.25%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region total; Beginning of year[A](1): $1,562; End of year[B](2): $1,559.8; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$2.2; Net change during year; (in percent): -0.14%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region 1, Boston; Beginning of year[A](1): $152; End of year[B](2): $152; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region 2, New York; Beginning of year[A](1): $155; End of year[B](2): $155; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region 3, Philadelphia; Beginning of year[A](1): $162; End of year[B](2): $163; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $1; Net change during year; (in percent): 0.62%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region 4, Atlanta; Beginning of year[A](1): $177; End of year[B](2): $177; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region 5, Chicago; Beginning of year[A](1): $202; End of year[B](2): $203; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $1; Net change during year; (in percent): 0.50%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region 6, Dallas; Beginning of year[A](1): $182; End of year[B](2): $182; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region 7, Kansas City; Beginning of year[A](1): $115; End of year[B](2): $115.1; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $0.1; Net change during year; (in percent): 0.09%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region 8, Denver; Beginning of year[A](1): $149; End of year[B](2): $144.3; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$4.7; Net change during year; (in percent): -3.15%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region 9, San Francisco; Beginning of year[A](1): $112; End of year[B](2): $112; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): 0; Net change during year; (in percent): 0. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Civil enforcement; Region 10, Seattle; Beginning of year[A](1): $156; End of year[B](2): $156.4; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $0.4; Net change during year; (in percent): 0.26%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Compliance assistance and centers; Headquarters total; Beginning of year[A](1): $277; End of year[B](2): $258.4; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): -$18.6; Net change during year; (in percent): -6.71%. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Compliance assistance and centers; Region total; Beginning of year[A](1): 0; End of year[B](2): $18.6; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $18.6; Net change during year; (in percent): Not applicable. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Compliance assistance and centers; Region 5, Chicago; Beginning of year[A](1): 0; End of year[B](2): $7.0; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $7.0; Net change during year; (in percent): Not applicable. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Compliance assistance and centers; Region 6, Dallas; Beginning of year[A](1): 0; End of year[B](2): $7.0; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $7.0; Net change during year; (in percent): Not applicable. Appropriation, program/project, region: Oil spill response; Compliance assistance and centers; Region 8, Denver; Beginning of year[A](1): 0; End of year[B](2): $4.6; Net change during year; (2 minus 1): $4.6; Net change during year; (in percent): Not applicable. Source: GAO analysis of EPA data: [A] Beginning of year new budget authority are amounts reported in the EPA fiscal year 2007 operating plan from EPA's Integrated Financial Management System. EPA referred to these amounts as 2007 Enacted in its fiscal year 2007 operating plan. [B] End of year new budget authority represents amounts allocated in EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan as of September 30, 2007. EPA reported this plan in the agency's Integrated Financial Management System. [End of table] Enclosure IV: The Difference between the End of Year Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority Allocated to the Selected Program/Projects in the Regional Offices 1-10 and the Fiscal Year 2007 Obligations of This Budget Authority (Dollars in thousands) Fiscal year 2007: Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Headquarters total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $24,997.9; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $23,555.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$1,442.4; -5.77%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $100,080.6; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $98,349.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$1,730.7; -1.73%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region 1, Boston; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $5,861.9; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $5,646.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$215; -3.67%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region 2, New York; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $11,530; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $11,375.7; Difference (2 minus 1): -$154.3; -1.34%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region 3, Philadelphia; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $9,875; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $9,558.8; Difference (2 minus 1): -$316.2; -3.20%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region 4, Atlanta; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $13,098; $12,981.2; Difference (2 minus 1): -$116.8; -0.89%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region 5, Chicago; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $17,181.5; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $16,775.8; Difference (2 minus 1): -$405.7; -2.36%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region 6, Dallas; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $13,906; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $13,666.6; Difference (2 minus 1): -$239.4; -1.72%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region 7, Kansas City; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $5,048.2; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $4,987.4; Difference (2 minus 1): -$60.8; -1.20%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region 8, Denver; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $7,076.2; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $7,072.8; Difference (2 minus 1): -$3.4; -0.05%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region 9, San Francisco; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $10,480; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $10,405.8; Difference (2 minus 1): -$74.2; -0.71%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Civil enforcement: Region 10, Seattle; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $6,023.8; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $5,878.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$144.9; -2.41%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Headquarters total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $8,440.9; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $7,273.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$1,167.4; -13.83%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $20,812.1; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $19,965.2; Difference (2 minus 1): -$846.9; -4.07%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 1, Boston; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $1,705.9; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $1,612.2; Difference (2 minus 1): -$93.7; -5.49%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 2, New York; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $2,762; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $2,660.6; Difference (2 minus 1): -$101.4; -3.67%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 3, Philadelphia; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $1,737; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $1,703.1; Difference (2 minus 1): -$33.9; -1.95%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 4, Atlanta; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $2,760.1; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $2,733.8; Difference (2 minus 1): -$26.3; -0.95%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 5, Chicago; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $3,133; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $3,060.6; Difference (2 minus 1): -$72.4; -2.31%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 6, Dallas; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $2,303; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $2,284.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$18.1; -0.79%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 7, Kansas City; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $1,147.7; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $1,043.6; Difference (2 minus 1): -$104.1; -9.07%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 8, Denver; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $1,244.4; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $999.7; Difference (2 minus 1): -$244.7; -19.66%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 9, San Francisco; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $2,064; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $1,967.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$96.1; -4.66%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 10, Seattle; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $1,955; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $1,898.8; Difference (2 minus 1): -$56.2; -2.87%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Headquarters total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $4,650; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $4,063.8; Difference (2 minus 1): -$586.2; -12.61%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $4,634.6; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $4,413.3; Difference (2 minus 1): -$221.3; -4.77%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region 1, Boston; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $711; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $625.3; Difference (2 minus 1): -$85.7; -12.05%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region 2, New York; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $676; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $641.8; Difference (2 minus 1): -$34.2; -5.06%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region 3, Philadelphia; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $530; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $480.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$49.1; -9.26%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region 4, Atlanta; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $608; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $602.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$5.5; -0.90%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region 5, Chicago; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $585; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $558.1; Difference (2 minus 1): -$26.9; -4.60%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region 6, Dallas; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $430; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $413.1; Difference (2 minus 1): -$16.9; -3.93%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region 7, Kansas City; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $371; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $362.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$8.5; -2.29%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region 8, Denver; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $121.2; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $123.3; Difference (2 minus 1): $2.1; 1.73%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region 9, San Francisco; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $515.4; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $539.2; Difference (2 minus 1): $23.8; 4.62%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance Incentives: Region 10, Seattle; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $87; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $66.6; Difference (2 minus 1): -$20.4; -23.45%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Headquarters total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $35,003.5; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $32,550.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$2,453; -7.01%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $58,210.6; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $56,485.3; Difference (2 minus 1): -$1,725.3; -2.96%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region 1, Boston; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $4,568.5; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $4,414.6; Difference (2 minus 1): -$153.9; -3.37%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region 2, New York; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $6,503.8; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $6,216.4; Difference (2 minus 1): -$287.4; -4.42%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region 3, Philadelphia; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $5,388.9; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $5,301.3; Difference (2 minus 1): -$87.6; -1.63%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region 4, Atlanta; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $7,869.6; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $7,583.1; Difference (2 minus 1): -$286.5; -3.64%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region 5, Chicago; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $8,730.3; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $8,679.4; Difference (2 minus 1): -$50.9; -0.58%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region 6, Dallas; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $7,746.5; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $7,361; Difference (2 minus 1): -$385.5; -4.98%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region 7, Kansas City; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $4,623; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $4,549.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$73.5; -1.59%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region 8, Denver; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $2,951.8; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $2,782.3; Difference (2 minus 1): -$169.5; -5.74%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region 9, San Francisco; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $5,644.6; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $5,634; Difference (2 minus 1): -$10.6; -0.19%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Environmental program and management: Compliance monitoring: Region 10, Seattle; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $4,183.6; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $3,963.7; Difference (2 minus 1): -$219.9; -5.26%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Hazardous substance superfund: Civil enforcement: Headquarters total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $880; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $726.3; Difference (2 minus 1): -$153.7; -17.47%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Hazardous substance superfund: Compliance assistance and centers: Headquarters total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $22; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $11.1; Difference (2 minus 1): -$10.9; -49.55%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Hazardous substance superfund: Compliance incentives: Headquarters total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $141; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $120.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$20.5; -14.54%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Hazardous substance superfund: Compliance monitoring: Headquarters total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $1,300; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $1,270.2; Difference (2 minus 1): -$29.8; -2.29%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Leaking underground storage tanks: Compliance assistance and centers: Region total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $671.6; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $522.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$149.1; -22.20%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Leaking underground storage tanks: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 1, Boston; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $89; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $0.4; Difference (2 minus 1): -$88.6; -99.55%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Leaking underground storage tanks: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 3, Philadelphia; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $64; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $51.8; Difference (2 minus 1): -$12.2; -19.06%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Leaking underground storage tanks: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 4, Atlanta; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $110; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $95.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$14.1; -12.82%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Leaking underground storage tanks: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 5, Chicago; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $126; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $117.4; Difference (2 minus 1): -$8.6; -6.83%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Leaking underground storage tanks: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 6, Dallas; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $110; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $111.6; Difference (2 minus 1): $1.6; 1.45%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Leaking underground storage tanks: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 7, Kansas City; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $20; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $27.9; Difference (2 minus 1): $7.9; 39.50%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Leaking underground storage tanks: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 8, Denver; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $82.5; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $79.6; Difference (2 minus 1): -$2.9; -3.52%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Leaking underground storage tanks: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 9, San Francisco; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $31; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $31; Difference (2 minus 1): 0; 0. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Leaking underground storage tanks: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 10, Seattle; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $39.1; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $6.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$32.2; -82.35%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Headquarters total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $170.1; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $163.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$6.2; -3.64%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $1,559.8; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $1,366.1; Difference (2 minus 1): -$193.7; -12.42%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region 1, Boston; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $152; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $141.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$10.1; -6.64%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region 2, New York; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $155; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $156.1; Difference (2 minus 1): $1.1; 0.71%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region 3, Philadelphia; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $163; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $156.2; Difference (2 minus 1): -$6.8; -4.17%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region 4, Atlanta; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $177; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $140.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$36.5; -20.62%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region 5, Chicago; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $203; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $200.6; Difference (2 minus 1): -$2.4; -1.18%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region 6, Dallas; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $182; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $145.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$36.1; -19.84%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region 7, Kansas City; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $115.1; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $109.9; Difference (2 minus 1): -$5.2; -4.52%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region 8, Denver; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $144.3; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $128.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$15.8; -10.95%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region 9, San Francisco; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $112; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $65.5; Difference (2 minus 1): -$46.5; -41.52%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Civil enforcement: Region 10, Seattle; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $156.4; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $121; Difference (2 minus 1): -$35.4; -22.63%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Compliance assistance and centers: Headquarters total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $258.4; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $247.3; Difference (2 minus 1): -$11.1; -4.30%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Compliance assistance and centers: Region total; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $18.6; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $11.6; Difference (2 minus 1): -$7; -37.63%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 5, Chicago; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $7; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $7; Difference (2 minus 1): 0; 0. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 6, Dallas; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $7; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); 0; Difference (2 minus 1): -$7; -100.00%. Appropriations, program/project, and region; Oil spill response: Compliance assistance and centers: Region 8, Denver; End of year new budget authority[A] (1); $4.6; Obligations of new budget authority[B] (2); $4.6; Difference (2 minus 1): $0; 0%. Source: GAO analysis of EPA data. [A] End of year new budget authority represents amounts allocated in EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan as of September 30, 2007. EPA reported this plan in the agency's Integrated Financial Management System. [B] The fiscal year 2007 obligations are reported obligations based on fiscal year 2007 new budget authority. These obligations are not EPA's total obligations for those categories because the above amounts do not include obligations of unexpired prior year budget authority that was available for obligation in fiscal year 2007. [End of table] [End of enclosure] Enclosure II: Summary of Past GAO Reports on OECA's Workforce Planning System: The information below summarizes key findings and recommendations from our prior reports on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) workforce planning system. The full versions of these reports are available in electronic format on GAO's Web site at [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. GAO, Human Capital: Implementing an Effective Workforce Strategy Would Help EPA to Achieve Its Strategic Goals, GAO-01-812 (Washington, D.C.: July 31, 2001). The purpose of this study. During the 1990s, as most federal agencies were reducing staff, EPA's workforce grew by about 18 percent, with much of this growth occurring in its 10 regional offices. Some Members of Congress had questioned whether EPA was effectively managing its large, diverse workforce. Particular concern was focused on OECA. As part of a broader report on EPA human capital management challenges, we examined specific human capital management challenges within OECA, specifically, how it deploys its enforcement workforce among EPA's 10 regions to ensure that federal environmental requirements are consistently enforced across regions. What we found. We found that OECA's workforce deployment did not ensure the consistent enforcement of environmental laws across regions. In particular, we found that OECA's deployment decisions were hampered by two interrelated problems: OECA's enforcement workforce deployment was not based on current workload information and OECA lacked sufficient enforcement information on key regional workload indictors. * OECA's enforcement workforce deployment was not based on current workload information. Specifically, we found that OECA deployed its enforcement workforce largely on the basis of workload models that were developed in the 1980s and had not been updated since 1989. In general, the workload models were based on the number of regulated facilities in each region and the type and amount of enforcement activities required for a particular program. While the workload models may have been an appropriate tool for allocating enforcement personnel during the 1980s, we reported that many critical changes affecting the enforcement workload have occurred during the 1990s. Since the workload models were developed, the number of environmental laws, regulations, and programs had increased; the focus and requirements of several environmental programs had shifted; states had assumed a greater role in environmental enforcement; and technological advances had affected the skills and expertise needed to conduct enforcement actions. * OECA lacked sufficient enforcement information on key regional workload indictors. In addition, we found that OECA could not fully determine the causes and appropriateness of the variations in regional enforcement activities because it does not have complete and reliable workforce planning information on the universe of entities subject to regulation under federal environmental laws and the time required to perform enforcement-related activities, such as assisting facilities to comply with environmental regulations. OECA headquarters and regional managers agreed that to develop an accurate workforce planning system, key fact-based information is essential to enable managers to account for the time of their enforcement staff. The data most needed include the amount of time spent in (1) performing inspections, (2) providing oversight of state inspections, (3) assisting states and industrial facilities to comply with environmental requirements, (4) and taking various legal actions when necessary to require compliance. However, we found that such managerial accounting information was generally not available to OECA's managers. Our conclusions and recommendations. We cautioned that the lack of workforce planning information limited OECA's ability to determine whether regions and states are consistently meeting the requirements of EPA's enforcement program and whether significant variations from these requirements exist and should be corrected. Without current and complete information on the enforcement workload, OECA cannot determine the proper size of its enforcement staff relative to the regions' enforcement workload. As a result, we said workload imbalances may exist and contribute to inconsistencies in EPA's enforcement efforts. Furthermore, at the time we conducted this work, EPA was considering an 8 percent reduction proposed for fiscal year 2002 in its enforcement staff, and we were concerned that the lack of information on the enforcement workload and the current utilization of staff limit EPA's ability to systematically determine where staffing increases or reductions should be made. To ensure that OECA deployed its resources most effectively and efficiently to achieve the agency's strategic goals for enforcement, we recommended that the EPA administrator establish a systematic method for deploying resources to address the agency's enforcement workload in the regions. Specifically, this would include information on, among other things, the level of resources (full-time equivalents) that are currently being allocated to specific enforcement activities. To develop such a methodology, we said that OECA needs to establish mechanisms for obtaining more complete and reliable data on these factors. GAO, Clean Water Act: Improved Resource Planning Would Help EPA Better Respond to Changing Needs and Fiscal Constraints, GAO-05-721 (Washington, D.C.: July 22, 2005): The purpose of this study. Federal and state fiscal constraints may jeopardize past and future accomplishments resulting from the Clean Water Act (the act) and make it increasingly difficult to achieve further progress in addressing new and existing sources of pollution. In this environment, it is important to manage available resources as efficiently as possible and to identify future human capital needs, including the size of the workforce and its deployment across the organization. To carry out its responsibilities under the Clean Water Act, EPA relies on its Office of Water, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and 10 regional offices, as well as states' water pollution control agencies. Beginning in 1972, the scope of the act has increased significantly, along with the workload associated with implementing and enforcing its requirements. At the same time, EPA has authorized states to take on more responsibilities, shifting the agency's workload from direct implementation to oversight. Changes in the nature, extent, and distribution of the Clean Water Act workload can affect the resources needed to carry out the act. GAO was asked to determine the (1) extent to which EPA's process for budgeting and allocating resources considers the nature and distribution of its Clean Water Act workload and (2) actions EPA is taking to improve resource planning and the challenges it faces in doing so.[Footnote 20] EPA relies on its Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance to carry out the agency's responsibilities for enforcing the requirements of the Clean Water Act that we reviewed. What We Found. We found that EPA's process for budgeting and allocating resources did not fully consider the agency's current workload. While EPA had made progress in improving resource planning, challenges hindered comprehensive reform. Specifically, we found that: EPA's process for budgeting and allocating resources did not fully consider the agency's current workload, either for specific statutory requirements, such as those included in the Clean Water Act, or for the broader goals and objectives in the agency's strategic plan. Instead, EPA makes incremental adjustments and relies primarily on historical precedent. With prior years' allocations as the baseline, year-to-year changes are marginal and occur in response to (1) direction from the Office of Management and Budget and Congress, (2) spending caps imposed by EPA's Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and (3) priorities negotiated by senior agency managers. In addition, we found that EPA's program offices and regions also have some flexibility to realign resources based on actual workload. Overall, the impact of these changes is minor, according to EPA. Because the nature and distribution of the act's workload has changed as the scope of regulated activities has grown, with EPA gaining new responsibilities and shifting others to the states, more than marginal changes may be appropriate. EPA does not conduct the periodic bottom-up assessments of the work that needs to be done, the distribution of the workload, or the resources needed to respond more effectively to changing needs and constrained resources. EPA had made progress in improving resource planning, including some efforts that focused on workforce planning, but challenges hindered comprehensive reform. For example, we found that OECA and the Office of Human Resources surveyed current employees to determine the types of skills they possessed without first identifying the specific skills most needed to accomplish the agency's mission. As a result, these surveys may not have necessarily captured the information EPA needs to comprehensively determine the skills gap. EPA officials acknowledged that the effort was not linked to a detailed analysis of workload and did not provide specific information on the type and deployment of workforce needs. Other efforts by EPA showed promise in providing useful information, but were still in their early stages. Beyond these initiatives, we found that EPA faced challenges in adopting a more systematic process for budgeting and resource allocation: obtaining reliable data on key workload indicators, such as the quantity and quality of water in particular areas, and overcoming internal resistance. Specifically, data on many of the factors that affect workload--and thus drive resource needs--were not comprehensive or reliable. In addition, we reported that EPA staff may have been reluctant to adopt a more systematic, data-driven approach to resource allocation, because of unsatisfactory experiences with using workload models in the 1980s. Our conclusions and recommendations. Because EPA did not have a system in place to conduct periodic bottom-up assessments of the work that needs to be done, the distribution of the workload, or staff and other resource needs, the agency may have been unable to respond effectively to changing needs and constrained resources. Despite some flexibility in budgeting and allocating resources, EPA could not determine whether the amount and distribution of its resources are appropriate to effectively carry out its strategic goals and objectives or meet its responsibilities under the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws. Moreover, EPA did not have the information it needs to tailor reductions in staff or other resources in a manner that minimizes potential adverse impacts on its environmental programs. Having complete and reliable data on the activities and tasks that must be accomplished--and how that work is distributed organizationally and geographically--will help EPA budget and allocate resources more effectively. In addition, such data will inform the agency's workforce planning efforts and help ensure that the right people with the right skills are where they need to be to get the work done. Among other things, we recommended that EPA focus its efforts on a ground level assessment and identify the key workload indicators that drive resource needs, ensure that relevant data are complete and reliable, and use the results to inform its budgeting and resource allocation. EPA expressed general agreement with much of the report and two of the recommendations, but voiced concern that a bottom-up workload assessment contrasts with its approach, which links budgeting and resource allocation to performance goals and results. We did not take issue with the use of performance and results in developing budgets and allocating resources, although, according to our review, EPA's budget and resource allocations were based primarily on historical precedent, and hence year-to-year changes were marginal. Moreover, we believed our recommendation was fully compatible with an approach that links budgeting and resource allocation to performance goals and results. In our view, the agency's performance goals should be informed by an assessment of the underlying workload--and how the tasks that must be accomplished drive resource needs organizationally and geographically. [End of enclosure] Enclosure III: Description of Managerial Cost Accounting in the Federal Government and a Summary of Prior GAO Reviews of Managerial Cost Accounting Practices in Executive Branch Agencies: The information below provides a description of managerial cost accounting (MCA) in the federal government, its potential applications in the federal government, and the fundamental elements for MCA in government agencies. It also provides a description of a report that summarizes the key findings of five earlier GAO reviews of managerial cost accounting practices in executive branch agencies.[Footnote 21] The full version of this report is available in electronic format on GAO's Web site at [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. Description of Managerial Cost Accounting in the Federal Government: A number of laws, accounting standards, system requirements, and related guidance have emphasized the need for cost information in the federal government, establishing requirements and accounting standards for managerial cost accounting information.[Footnote 22] At the forefront, the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act of 1990 contains several provisions related to managerial cost accounting, one of which states that an agency's CFO should develop and maintain an integrated accounting and financial management system that provides for the systematic measurement of performance and the development and reporting of cost information. Managerial cost accounting entails answering a very simple question. How much does it cost to do something, be it an extensive overall program effort or the incremental and iterative efforts associated with a project activity? MCA involves accumulating and analyzing both financial and nonfinancial data to determine the costs of achieving performance goals, delivering programs, and pursuing other activities. Nonfinancial data measure the occurrences of activities and can include such things as hours worked, units produced, grants managed, inspections conducted, or people trained. The principal purpose is to assess how much it costs to do whatever is being measured, thus allowing management to analyze whether that cost seems reasonable or to establish a baseline for comparison with others who do similar work. The factors analyzed and the level of detail depends on the operations and needs of the organization.Reliable financial and nonfinancial data are cornerstones of this assessment because if the data are wrong, the resulting analysis can give a distorted view of how well the organization is doing, thereby affecting decision making. MCA differs from financial accounting in that it is primarily intended to provide information for internal decision making rather than external reporting. There are many potential applications for cost information in the federal government. This information can be used by federal executives for budgeting and cost control, performance measurement, determining reimbursements and setting fees and prices, program evaluations, and decisions that involve economic choices, such as whether to do a project in-house or contract it out.[Footnote 23] Congress can also use MCA information to determine how to fund programs and monitor agency performance, as well as to analyze the merits of proposals advocated by different parties. The public, in turn, can benefit from greater transparency about program performance and ready access to information on how its tax dollars are spent. The fundamental elements for MCA in government agencies are set forth in the Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards No. 4 (SFFAS 4), Managerial Cost Accounting Concepts and Standards for the Federal Government, which became effective in fiscal year 1998.[Footnote 24] The five standards in SFFAS 4 require government agencies to (1) accumulate and report the costs of activities on a regular basis for management information purposes; (2) establish responsibility segments, and measure and report the costs of each segment's outputs and calculate the unit cost of each output; (3) determine and report the full costs of government goods and services, including direct[Footnote 25] and indirect[Footnote 26] costs; (4) recognize the costs of goods and services provided by other federal entities; and (5) use and consistently follow costing methodologies or cost-finding techniques most appropriate to the segment's operating environment to accumulate and assign costs to outputs. SFFAS 4 states that MCA should be a fundamental part of the financial management system and, to the extent practical, should be integrated with other parts of the system. A Summary of Prior GAO Reviews of Managerial Cost Accounting Practices in Executive Branch Agencies: In light of the requirements for CFO Act agencies to prepare managerial cost accounting information, we were asked to determine the extent to which those federal agencies develop cost information and use it for managerial decision making. Accordingly, from 2005 through 2007, we completed and reported on reviews of MCA practices in 10 large CFO Act agencies, resulting in five reports.[Footnote 27] In July 2007, we issued Managerial Cost Accounting Practices: Implementation and Use Vary Widely across 10 Federal Agencies (GAO-07-679). This report brought the overall observations of our five separate studies together in one report. Specifically, this report summarized our findings from those reports on (1) the ways federal agencies generate managerial cost accounting information, (2) how government managers use cost information to support managerial decision making and provide accountability, and (3) the need for stronger leadership for implementing MCA in many of the agencies we reviewed. The five reports that this capping report summarized included detailed recommendations to the agencies we reviewed, but this capping report contained no new recommendations. Our reviews of MCA practices at 10 large civilian agencies identified large disparities in the level of MCA implementation among federal agencies as well as the ways in which they use cost information. Few of the federal agencies we reviewed were using MCA to make day-to-day decisions. While strong leadership for MCA was in place at the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Department of Labor (DOL), the Social Security Administration (SSA), and the Department of Transportation (DOT), other agencies have not yet made concerted efforts to promote the benefits of MCA and oversee its implementation and use throughout their respective agencies. Specifically: * Our reviews of MCA practices at 10 large civilian agencies identified large disparities in the level of MCA implementation among federal agencies as well as the ways in which they use cost information. Of the 10 agencies we reviewed, only 3 had implemented MCA systems agencywide: DOI, SSA, and DOL. In addition, DOT had made significant progress in implementing MCA departmentwide. Three agencies--the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development--planned to implement MCA systems when upgrading their overall financial management systems, but they had not yet adequately considered their MCA needs. The 3 remaining agencies--the Departments of Education, the Treasury, and Veterans Affairs--had no plans to implement MCA departmentwide, but some of their component agencies had implemented their own MCA systems. In addition, many agencies do not yet have the accurate, reliable, and timely data needed for MCA systems to ensure the outputs are useful and reliable. * Few of the federal agencies we reviewed were using MCA to make day- to-day decisions. Only DOI and SSA were using cost information routinely to manage operations entitywide. In addition, some component agencies of departments that did not have overall MCA systems were using cost information more routinely to evaluate programs, formulate budgets, and set fees and prices. DOL was developing plans for using its MCA system. Other agencies used cost information primarily for external financial reporting, and were only able to cite a limited number of examples showing how cost information was currently used to help make management decisions. * Strong leadership for MCA was in place at DOI, DOL, SSA, and DOT. Other agencies have not yet made concerted efforts to promote the benefits of MCA and oversee its implementation and use throughout their respective agencies. Although MCA can be implemented without an integrated financial management system, in those cases it tends to be used for single programs or projects rather than providing day-to-day information for managerial decision making agencywide. For MCA implementation to be successful, it must be tailored to the needs of the organization, be a tool managers can use to make everyday decisions, and be based on sound financial and nonfinancial data. Full MCA implementation across the federal government will require strong executive leadership, improved financial management systems, and a continuing transition in government culture to one of managing costs, in addition to managing the budget. [End of enclosure] Enclosure IV: Comments from the Environmental Protection Agency: United States Environmental Protection Agency: Assistant Administrator For Enforcement And Compliance Assurance: Washington, D.C. 20460: [hyperlink: http://www.epa.gov] September 19, 2008: Mr. John Stephenson: Director, Natural Resources and Environment: U.S. Government Accountability Office: Washington, DC 20548: Re: EPA's Execution of Its Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority for the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program in the Regional Offices (Project Number GAO-08-1109R): Dear Mr. Stephenson: Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) draft report entitled, "EPA's Execution of Its Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority for the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program in the Regional Offices" (Project Number GAO-08-1109R). The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) appreciates the work of the GAO in preparing this report. The GAO's draft report shows that we carefully monitor our budget execution process to ensure that our funds are obligated in accordance with how they are appropriated. Nevertheless, GAO's draft report also reiterates findings from reports issued in 2001 and 2005 that criticized OECA for using outdated workload models to allocate its workforce and for not identifying and using key indicators to evaluate workload needs and inform resource allocation decisions. EPA recognizes the need to improve its ability to understand and quantify the relative workload of its component organizations and to make allocation decisions based on those assessments. Toward that end, the Agency is committed to improving its analytical capabilities and examining appropriate measures of workload to support the resource allocation process. In addition to these comments, we have identified several "technical corrections" to the GAO draft report listed below: 1. Elevate the information from footnotes 11 and 12 [now footnotes 10 and 11] into the body of the report since they add to the understanding of GAO's analysis and answer some implicit questions from the analysis. 2. On page 5,[now on page 4] (2nd paragraph), delete the phrase "...EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan allocated about 72 percent ($184 million) of its fiscal year 2007 new budget authority for the four enforcement and compliance assurance program projects that were reviewed to its regional offices..," and replace it with "OECA's FY 2007 operating plan allocated to the regions approximately 72% of the resources associated with the four program/projects we reviewed." 3. Change the term "program project" through out the draft to "program/project." If you have any questions concerning our response please contact me at (202) 564-2440, or Margaret Schneider, Director, OECA Office of Administration and Policy, at (202) 564-2530. Sincerely, Signed by: Granta Y. Nakayama: [End of enclosure] Footnotes: [1] "Indian country" includes all land within the limits of an Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the United States government, all dependent Indian communities within the borders of the United States, and all Indian allotments. [2] Pub. L. No. 110-5, § 113 (2007). [3] EPA submitted its fiscal year 2007 operating plan to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, Subcommittees on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. This operating plan covered the full fiscal year 2007, October 1, 2006, to September 30, 2007. This operating plan described the fiscal year 2007 new budget authority from EPA's various appropriations. This included 2-year budget authority and no-year budget authority. Two-year budget authority enacted in fiscal year 2007 remained available for obligation until September 30, 2008, and no-year budget authority enacted in fiscal year 2007 remains available until expended. [4] Budget authority refers to authority provided by federal law to a federal agency to enter into financial obligations that will result in immediate or future outlays involving federal government funds. This operating plan did not report unexpired balances of budget authority from prior year appropriations that were available for obligation in fiscal year 2007 (i.e. "carryover"). While we did not focus our review on these carryover amounts, Enclosure I provides a table that shows, for these four program/projects, reported fiscal year 2007 carryover from the Environmental Program and Management appropriation account was 2 percent ($4.8 million) of the $251.4 million in reported total fiscal year 2007 obligations from that appropriation account. [5] In the plan, EPA allocated budget authority to each program/project from one or more of EPA's appropriation accounts. [6] The number 14 does not include 3 program/projects that are categorical grants funded through EPA's State and Tribal Assistance appropriation account and administered by OECA. [7] GAO, Human Capital: Implementing an Effective Workforce Strategy Would Help EPA to Achieve Its Strategic Goals, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-01-812] (Washington, D.C.: July 31, 2001); Clean Water Act: Improved Resource Planning Would Help EPA Better Respond to Changing Needs and Fiscal Constraints, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-721] (Washington, D.C.: July 22, 2005). [8] (1) the civil enforcement program addresses violations of federal statutes by taking legal actions to correct violations and prevent their recurrence; (2) the compliance assistance and centers program provides information to assist the regulated community understand and comply with statutory and regulatory requirements; (3) the compliance incentives program promotes compliance through the use of incentive policies that reduce or waive penalties under certain conditions for facilities that voluntarily discover, promptly disclose, and correct environmental problems; (4) the compliance monitoring program includes activities such as site investigations and gathering data to determine whether an individual facility or a group of facilities are in compliance with environmental laws and requirements. [9] This total does not include fiscal year 2007 new budget authority provided by EPA's State and Tribal Assistance Grant appropriation account. [10] The EPM appropriation account is available for 2 years, which means this budget authority remained available for obligation until September 30, 2008. [11] Generally agencies may shift, or reprogram, funds within an appropriation or fund account as part of their duty to manage their funds. Unlike transfers, agencies may reprogram without additional statutory authority. [12] [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-01-812] and [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-721]. [13] While our 2005 report focused on changes in EPA's responsibilities under the Clean Water Act, we reported in July 2007 on specific changes in EPA's and the states' environmental enforcement responsibilities that resulted from changes in regulated pollutants and sources under the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and other laws. See, GAO, EPA-State Enforcement Partnership Has Improved, But EPA's Oversight Needs Further Enhancement, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-883] (Washington, D.C.: July 31, 2007). [14] Generally agencies may shift, or reprogram, funds within an appropriation or fund account as part of their duty to manage their funds. Unlike transfers, agencies may reprogram without additional statutory authority. [15] [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-01-812]. [16] [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-721]. [17] EPA's fiscal year 2007 operating plan only took into account EPA's newly enacted budget authority for fiscal year 2007. Information about balances of unexpired prior year budget authority that was available for obligation in fiscal year 2007 is provided in Enclosure II. [18] EPA administers its environmental enforcement and compliance assurance responsibilities through its headquarters Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). While OECA provides overall direction on enforcement policies, and sometimes takes direct enforcement action, EPA's 10 regional offices are responsible for carrying out much of EPA's enforcement activities. [19] Civil enforcement, Compliance assistance and centers, Compliance incentives, Compliance monitoring. [20] This report focused on EPA and state resources associated with implementing and enforcing the major programs under the Clean Water Act. For the purposes of this review, we defined EPA's Clean Water Act workload to include activities associated with controls over pollution from specific facilities (called the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program) and diffuse sources, such as agricultural runoff. We also included related activities, such as setting water quality criteria and standards, for both specific pollutants and individual water bodies; monitoring water quality; and establishing requirements for the disposal of sewage sludge. We excluded (1) financial assistance for local infrastructure under the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; (2) activities for which the primary federal responsibility lay outside EPA, such as issuing permits for dredged and fill material, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and (3) location-specific programs, such as those focused on the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, and designated sites under the National Estuary Program. [21] GAO, Managerial Cost Accounting Practices: Implementation and Use Vary Widely across 10 Federal Agencies, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-679] (Washington, D.C.: July 20, 2007). This report summarized findings from five reports: Managerial Cost Accounting Practices: Leadership and Internal Controls Are Key to Successful Implementation, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-1013R] (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 2, 2005); Managerial Cost Accounting Practices: Departments of Education, Transportation, and the Treasury, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-301R] (Washington, D.C.: Dec. 19, 2005); Managerial Cost Accounting Practices: Department of Health and Human Services and Social Security Administration, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-599R] (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 18, 2006); Managerial Cost Accounting Practices: Department of Agriculture and Department of Housing and Urban Development, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-1002R] (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 21, 2006); and Managerial Cost Accounting Practices at the Department of the Interior, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-298R] (Washington, D.C.: May 24, 2007). [22] The Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-576, 104 Stat. 2838 (codified in scattered sections); the Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards No. 4, Managerial Cost Accounting Concepts and Standards for the Federal Government; the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program's (JFMIP) Framework for Federal Financial Management Systems. In December 2004, the JFMIP principals voted to modify the roles and responsibilities of the JFMIP Program Office, which is now known as the Financial Systems Integration Office (FSIO); The Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 (FFMIA), Pub. L. No. 104-208, tit. VIII, codified at 31 U.S.C. § 3512 Note. [23] See Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards No. 4, Managerial Cost Accounting Concepts and Standards for the Federal Government, issued July 31, 1995. [24] Statements of Federal Financial Accounting Standards are promulgated by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB). FASAB is a federal advisory committee sponsored under an agreement among the Treasury, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and GAO to promulgate generally accepted accounting principles for federal reporting entities, such as executive branch agencies. [25] Direct costs are costs that can be specifically identified with an output, including salaries and benefits for employees working directly on the output, materials, supplies, and costs with facilities and equipment used exclusively to produce the output. [26] Indirect costs are costs that are not specifically identifiable with any output and may include costs for general administration, research and technical support, and operations and maintenance for building and equipment. [27] The 10 agencies are the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Labor, Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Social Security Administration. [End of section] GAO's Mission: The Government Accountability Office, the audit, evaluation and investigative arm of Congress, exists to support Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and accountability of the federal government for the American people. GAO examines the use of public funds; evaluates federal programs and policies; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other assistance to help Congress make informed oversight, policy, and funding decisions. GAO's commitment to good government is reflected in its core values of accountability, integrity, and reliability. 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