In addition, the current reporting practices of the agencies do not allow the wetlands-related accomplishments of the agencies to be determined. However, as of June 10, 1998, strategies had not yet been developed to address the other actions planned by the administration to improve wetlands data. Each inventory uses the wetlands data it collects to produce estimates of the nation’s remaining wetlands acreage and the rate of wetlands gains and losses. Officials from each of the agencies responsible for the inventories have questioned the estimates made by the other, and officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have expressed concern about the estimates of both inventories. Past Efforts Have Not Solved Wetlands Data Problems, but New Efforts Are Under Way

Since 1989, at least five interagency groups, established to better coordinate federal wetlands programs, have attempted to improve wetlands data. As a result, the progress made toward achieving the goal of no net loss of the nation’s remaining wetlands, the administration’s new goal of gaining 100,000 acres of wetlands each year beginning in the year 2005, or the contributions made by the agencies in achieving these goals cannot be measured. In addition, while we report that the wetlands acreage estimates produced by FWS and NRCS are not completely consistent, we also acknowledge that both have reported that the rate of wetlands losses has declined. In fiscal years 1990 through 1997, the administration spent about $90,000 (in constant 1997 dollars) and no identified full-time-equivalent staff-years on wetlands-related activities. About $834,000 and six full-time-equivalent staff-years were associated with these wetlands-related activities in fiscal year 1997. Not only do we point out that 6 of the 36 agencies are the primary agencies involved in and responsible for implementing wetlands-related programs, but we state that these 6 agencies account for more than 70 percent of the funding and 65 percent of the staffing associated with such activities. 2. 3. 4. 5. Details of how the other actions will be accomplished have not been developed. Action Plan: Developing a Unified Wetlands Status and Trends Report

Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Concerned about the lack of consolidated information on the federal commitment to wetlands, you asked us to (1) develop an inventory of the federal agencies involved in wetlands-related activities and the funding and staffing associated with their activities during fiscal years 1990 through 1997 and (2) determine if the wetlands data reported by these agencies are consistent and reliable. In most of these instances, the agencies provided estimates of funding and staffing associated with their efforts. To determine the consistency and reliability of wetlands acreage data reported by the agencies, we interviewed officials and obtained and reviewed documentation on two federal resource inventories—the National Wetlands Inventory and the National Resources Inventory maintained by Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service and Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, respectively.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO: (1) developed an inventory of the federal agencies involved in wetlands-related activities and the funding and staffing associated with their activities during fiscal years (FY) 1990 through 1997; and (2) determined if the data on wetlands acreage reported by these agencies are consistent and reliable.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) at least 36 agencies conducted wetlands-related activities during FY 1990 through FY 1997; (2) the total funding associated each year with the agencies' efforts ranged from about $508 million in FY 1990 to about $787 million in FY 1997; (3) staffing associated with the agencies' activities during this period ranged from about 3,271 full-time-equivalent staff-years in FY 1993 to about 4,308 full-time-equivalent staff-years in FY 1997; (4) six agencies were primarily involved in and responsible for implementing wetlands-related programs; (5) these six agencies accounted for more than 70 percent of the funding and 65 percent of the staffing associated each year with such activities; (6) the consistency and reliability of wetlands acreage data reported by the federal agencies are questionable; (7) the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service maintain resource inventories that provide estimates of the nation's remaining wetlands acreage, annual rates of wetlands gains and losses, and the primary cause(s) for losses; (8) although both inventories have reported that the rate of wetlands loss has declined, the inventories' estimates are not completely consistent; (9) a single set of wetlands acreage numbers that could be used to evaluate the progress made in achieving the goal of no net loss of the nation's remaining wetlands is not available; (10) officials from each of the agencies have questioned the estimates made by the other, and the Environmental Protection Agency has expressed concern about both inventories; (11) the agencies' current reporting practices do not permit the actual accomplishments of the agencies to be determined; (12) since 1989, several interagency groups have attempted to improve wetlands data; (13) because their efforts have not resolved these problems, the administration recently announced new efforts to improve wetlands data; (14) in May 1998, the administration issued a plan to accomplish a key action--the development of a single wetlands status and trends report; and (15) as of June 10, 1998, details have not yet been developed on how the other actions announced by the administration will be accomplished.