Both the Denali Commission Act and the Inspector General Act require the commission to have an inspector general. The commission is one of around 65 federal agencies that are now statutorily required to have this oversight function.

Inspector generals monitor the use of federal money by conducting audits, investigations, and project inspections, including the annual financial audit for their agencies. Results are reported to the agency head and Congress. Inspector generals are by law independent of the operating personnel that implement their agencies' programs.

The Denali Commission's inspector general emphasizes the inspection of projects and processes. These inspections are more than a physical look at a facility and a conversation with its surrounding community. The reports of project inspections ask the toughest questions as to the lessons learned and the public value from constructing facilities under challenging conditions.