We sent  letters to the heads of key executive branch agencies, including EPA, in  fiscal years 2015, 2016, and 2017 identifying these high-priority  recommendations and urging the agency head to continue to provide  attention to these issues. EPA Has Implemented 191 of 318 GAO Recommendations, Which Relate to a Variety of EPA Operations and Programs

As of August 23, 2017, EPA had implemented 191 of the 318  recommendations we made since fiscal year 2007, and the  recommendations fall into six broad categories that relate to EPA  operations and programs. EPA had not yet fully implemented the  remaining 127 recommendations. Figure 2 shows the status of the 318  recommendations. The 318 recommendations we made to EPA since fiscal year 2007 fall  into six broad categories that relate to EPA operations and programs and  generally align with many of the goals and strategies identified in EPA’s  Fiscal Year 2014-2018 Strategic Plan. These six broad categories are:  (1) management and operations; (2) water issues, which includes water  infrastructure, drinking water, water quality, and ecosystem restoration;  (3) environmental contamination and cleanup, which includes  environmental cleanup, pollution prevention, hazardous and other waste  programs, and emergency management; (4) toxics, chemical safety, and  pesticides; (5) public health and environmental justice; and (6) air quality,  climate change, and energy efficiency. Almost three-fourths of the recommendations we made since fiscal year  2007 fall into three categories: management and operations, water  issues, and environmental contamination and cleanup. The  recommendations to EPA relating to management and operations  included actions for better managing its grants, better coordinating  management of its laboratories, and improving the agency’s information  security. Most of these recommendations  concern EPA management and operations and water issues. Some  examples of recommendations that have not yet been implemented in  these categories are described below. However, EPA has not fully implemented this recommendation. EPA’s Implementation of GAO Recommendations and Related Work Has Resulted in Process and Programmatic Improvements and Financial Benefits

We have identified many benefits—process and programmatic  improvements and financial benefits—based on EPA taking actions on  our recommendations and related work. In addition, we have identified financial benefits  resulting from the implementation of our recommendations and our  related work. We  recommended that EPA and USDA work together and with state and  community officials to develop guidelines to assist states in developing  uniform environmental analyses that could be used, to the extent  appropriate, to meet state and federal requirements for water and  wastewater infrastructure projects. In February 2017, EPA and USDA  issued a joint memorandum to address concerns identified in our report  and highlighted best practices currently employed in some states to  eliminate duplicative environmental reviews. Environmental Contamination and Cleanup

During the course of work related to a July 2008 report on the funding and  reported costs of Superfund enforcement and administrative activities,  we reviewed EPA’s methodology for calculating the indirect costs—or  administrative costs for managing the Superfund program—that EPA  charged responsible parties in fiscal year 2006. In 2010, we estimated that the additional amount  EPA has recovered (or would recover) had a present value worth about  $42.2 million. We believe that EPA’s  implementation of our outstanding recommendations will enable the  agency to continue to improve its performance and the efficiency and  effectiveness of its operations.
Why GAO Did This Study

EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment. To accomplish this mission, EPA develops and enforces environmental regulations; awards grants; and studies environmental issues, among other things. GAO has conducted reviews focused on various aspects of EPA's operations and programs. Through this work, GAO has made numerous recommendations to improve EPA's performance and the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations.
GAO follows up with executive branch agencies to determine the extent to which they have implemented its recommendations. In fiscal year 2015, GAO began sending letters annually to the heads of key executive branch agencies, including EPA, identifying unimplemented recommendations that warrant priority attention.
This statement discusses (1) the status of EPA's implementation of GAO recommendations made since fiscal year 2007 and how these recommendations relate to EPA's operations and programs and (2) examples of benefits realized by EPA and others based on GAO's work, including through the agency's implementation of these recommendations. This statement is based on GAO's work since fiscal year 2007 and on an analysis of recommendations GAO has made to EPA during this period.

What GAO Found

As of August 23, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had implemented 191 of the 318 recommendations GAO made since fiscal year 2007. EPA had not yet implemented the remaining 127 recommendations. The figure below shows the status of the 318 recommendations. The recommendations fall into six broad categories that relate to EPA programs and operations: (1) management and operations; (2) water issues; (3) environmental contamination and cleanup; (4) toxics, chemical safety, and pesticides; (5) public health and environmental justice; and (6) air quality, climate change, and energy efficiency. Almost three-fourths of the recommendations fall into the first three categories and include actions for EPA to better manage grants, improve the regulation of drinking water contaminants, and better manage hazardous waste cleanup. Most of the recommendations that have not yet been implemented concern EPA management and operations and water issues. For example, regarding management and operations, EPA has not yet implemented GAO's recommendation to link its workforce plan with its strategic plan to help ensure EPA has an appropriately skilled workforce to achieve its mission. Similarly, for water issues, EPA has not fully implemented GAO's recommendation to provide guidance to regional offices on overseeing state water quality programs.
GAO has identified many benefits—that is, process and programmatic improvements and financial benefits—based on EPA taking actions on GAO's recommendations and related work. For example, in October 2012, GAO recommended that EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) develop guidelines to assist states in developing uniform environmental analyses to meet state and federal requirements for water and wastewater infrastructure projects. EPA and USDA issued a joint memorandum in February 2017 that, among other things, highlighted best practices to eliminate duplicative environmental reviews. In addition, GAO has identified financial benefits from the implementation of its recommendations and related work. For example, during the course of work related to a July 2008 report, GAO identified an error in EPA's calculation of recoverable indirect costs for hazardous waste cleanup. EPA acknowledged the error and published revised indirect costs rates. As a result, GAO estimated in 2010 that EPA had recovered or would recover $42.2 million.