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At a Glance
Why We Did This Project
The Office of Inspector General
(OIG) of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
conducted this audit to
determine whether the EPA
followed applicable criteria, such
as laws and rules, in creating
the Superfund Task Force
(SFTF) and developing the task
force's July 2017 report and
recommendations.
On May 22, 2017, then EPA
Administrator Scott Pruitt
established the SFTF and
charged it with providing
recommendations within
30 days for improving and
expediting site cleanups and
promoting redevelopment. On
July 25, 2017, the EPA's SFTF
released its report and
recommendations.
Among other issues,
nongovernmental organizations
expressed concerns about the
need for transparency and the
possibility that the SFTF favored
enhanced economic
development over public health.
This report addresses the
following:
• Cleaning up and revitalizing
land.
Address inquiries to our public
affairs office at (202) 566-2391 or
OIG WEBCOMMENTS@epa.gov.
EPA Complied with Applicable Laws and Rules
for the July 2017 Superfund Task Force Report
but Could Improve Transparency
What We Found
We found that the EPA created and preserved
documentation of the organization and
decisions of the SFTF in accordance with
applicable recordkeeping requirements. The
SFTF report recommendations were developed
by EPA staff with experience in the Superfund
program or related programs. We asked
interviewees if unsolicited communications from industry, trade groups and
individual companies impacted the recommendations. No interviewee indicated
that communications from outside sources had an impact.
The SFTF report did not contain details about the process or list specific
contributors to the report, as some similar Superfund studies have done. The
SFTF report included an executive summary stating that "upwards of 80 highly
experienced EPA professionals, including management and staff, were
involved." The report also listed the names of individuals who led five groups,
each representing one of five goal areas, stating they used their extensive
program knowledge and experience to develop the specific actions in the report.
More than half of the SFTF members that we interviewed volunteered that the
SFTF report was generated through the efforts of career EPA staff, consistent
with prior Superfund reports. Further, task force members noted that while the
SFTF goals were focused on economic issues associated with site cleanup and
reutilization, the Superfund program's responsibility to protect human health and
the environment did not change. We heard positive feedback from task force
members, such as it was a collaborative process or a helpful effort.
The EPA report could have been more transparent with regard to the process
used and the qualifications of the personnel involved, to allay public concerns
and increase confidence in the recommendations.
Recommendation and Planned Agency Corrective Action
We recommend that the Deputy Administrator publish detailed information on
the task force website about the SFTF effort, including details about the roles
and responsibilities of career EPA staff. The agency agreed with the
recommendation, and the recommendation is resolved with the agreed-to action
pending.
Emphasizing the role of EPA
career staff in the SFTF
would have enhanced the
transparency of the project
and perhaps alleviated public
concerns about the process.
List of OIG reports.

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