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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Inspector General
At a Glance
2006-P-00022
April 26, 2006
Catalyst for Improving the Environment
Why We Did This Review
We sought to determine how
well the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
implemented initiatives in its
Critical Infrastructure and Key
Resources Protection Plan for
protecting assets used to
respond to terrorist attacks and
other nationally significant
incidents. We also examined
progress EPA has made in
addressing recommendations
from a 2004 audit on
managing Counter Terrorism/
Emergency Response
equipment.
Background
Homeland Security
Presidential Directive No. 7,
issued in 2003, requires
Federal agencies to identify,
prioritize, and protect Critical
Infrastructure and Key
Resources from terrorist
attacks. In 2004, EPA issued
its Critical Infrastructure and
Key Resources Protection
Plan on how it plans to do so.
The plan involves protecting
equipment and implementing
enhancements to the Agency's
response capability.
For further information,
contact our Office of
Congressional and Public
Liaison at (202) 566-2391.
EPA Needs to Better Implement Plan for Protecting
Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources Used to
Respond to Terrorist Attacks and Disasters
What We Found
While EPA made progress in implementing the initiatives in the Critical
Infrastructure and Key Resources Protection Plan, assignment of formal authority
and more accountability is required to ensure the initiatives are accomplished in a
timely manner. In some cases, EPA did not obtain adequate assets or sufficiently
protect assets. Milestones for initiatives were missed or not established, and some
managers responsible for implementing the initiatives were not aware of the
protection plan. Better accountability and coordination would have improved
EPA's ability to receive products that the Agency paid for, when needed.
EPA also needs to improve its management of Counter Terrorism/Emergency
Response equipment so that the Agency can efficiently determine what equipment
is available and where it is located.
As a result of the conditions noted, the ability of EPA to protect public health and
the environment from future terrorist attacks or other nationally significant
incidents may be impaired.
Our full audit report contains specific details on the initiatives and the areas where
improvements are needed. However, because specific information on the
initiatives is sensitive homeland security information, the full report is not
available to the public.
What We Recommend
We recommend that the EPA Deputy Administrator establish overall
accountability for Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources Protection Plan
management as well as program office accountability for implementing initiatives
listed within the plan. We also recommend that the Deputy Administrator require
better controls over Counter Terrorism/Emergency Response equipment. EPA
generally agreed with all but one of the recommendations and indicated that
corrective actions were planned and underway. Where appropriate, we have
included additional information and clarifying language requested by the Agency.

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