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RECENTLY RELEASED REPORTS
Disabled Native Americans Waited Years to Receive Access to Trust MoneyHeavy workloads, poor communication, and competing priorities for Department of the Interior employees responsible for overseeing Native American trust accounts have resulted in certain cases involving those with special needs being lost or abandoned. Between 2005 and 2007, Interior’s Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians paid private investigation firms Lamar Associates and the Vander Weele Group more than $1 million to track down high-dollar account holders on its “Whereabouts Unknown” list. Yet several years later, we found that a group of nine high-dollar account holders found by the private investigators, the majority of them with special needs, and with accounts totaling approximately $660,000, had not received access to their money. Misconduct among some MMS employeesInspectors at the Lake Charles District Office in Louisiana accepted gifts, received lunches, attended sporting events, and went on hunting and fishing trips paid for by oil and gas production company representatives. Our investigation, released in May 2010, found “a culture where acceptance of gifts from oil and gas companies were widespread throughout the office,” but appeared to decline after January 2007. Many inspectors also had emails that contained inappropriate humor and pornography, and there was lax handling of inspection forms. In a memorandum accompanying the report, Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall told Secretary Ken Salazar: “Of greatest concern to me is the environment in which these inspectors operate – particularly the ease with which they move between industry and government." Making sure scientific data is rightNo codes of conduct exist for Interior’s scientific research. Without policies, Interior runs the risk that flawed information gathered from oil spills, geologic hazards, acid mine drainage, etc., will reach the scientific community and general public, thereby damaging public trust. Our April 2010 report outlines a DOI model for an overarching scientific integrity policy. Reducing the risk of lost oil royaltiesThe Bureau of Land Management and the Minerals Management Service failed to properly manage and oversee the royalty-free oil and gas program, known as beneficial use, for companies that drill on Federal land and offshore. Deficiencies in the program potentially cost the government significant lost income. Our March 2010 report outlines steps that MMS and BLM should take to reduce the risk of significant lost royalties. Keeping Interior roads safeCongress requested that we look into Interior’s programs which service roads to, within, and through Indian reservations, national parks, recreation and historic areas, and wildlife refuges. We found that DOI bureaus tend to have inaccurate inventories, do not set priorities well, and conduct oversight of funds inadequately. This contributes to a large number of unsafe road conditions, putting the Department at risk of litigation. Our February 2010 report suggests centralizing Interior’s roads program to ensure proper oversight. |
The Office of Inspector General
The mission of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to promote excellence, integrity, and accountability in the programs, operations, and management of the Department of the Interior.
Our Mission
To provide independent oversight in order to promote integrity, accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency in Department of the Interior programs.
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Who We Are
An organization of 300 employees driven by a keen sense of mission and committed to conducting the business of government in the best interest of the American public.
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What We Do
Independently and objectively identify risks and vulnerabilities that directly impact, or could impact, Department of the Interior mission results.
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Current Activities
- Mary Kendall Testifies on OIG Investigation of MMS
The Acting Inspector General testifies before the House Committee on Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources that OIG is in the process of identifying gaps, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement in MMS operation and regulations, with a focus on the permitting process, inspections and enforcement, environmental and safety requirements, and rules governing post-incident review.
Read more > - IG says MMS Review Identified "Weaknesses"
The Acting Inspector General tells the House Natural Resources Committe that the investigation identified "programmatic weaknesses and egregious misconduct" within the Minerals Management Service, the DOI bureau that oversees offshore drilling.
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