Lack of Transparency and Misinformation Exposed
An audit conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) has revealed that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) failed to report $7 billion in spending during the fiscal year 2022. The lack of complete and accurate reporting not only misled taxpayers but also hindered policymakers from effectively tracking federal spending.
Outrage and Calls for Transparency
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican from Washington, strongly criticized the EPA in response to the audit findings. She called for increased transparency into the agency’s activities, stating, “It’s outrageous and unacceptable that the EPA cannot keep track of its spending or inform Congress — and the American people — of how it is using taxpayer dollars.”
McMorris Rodgers further questioned whether the EPA is incapable of managing its record-high budget or intentionally concealing the amount of taxpayer money being spent to advance the administration’s agenda. She emphasized the need for greater transparency and accountability.
Corrective Actions and Recommendations
Following the OIG report, the EPA corrected its FY22 figures in May 2023 and implemented configuration changes a month later. The inspector general made five recommendations to improve reporting accuracy and transparency, which the agency has agreed to implement.
EPA’s Green Energy Fund and Budget Requests
The EPA’s audit revelations come at a time when the agency manages a substantial green energy fund and seeks a larger budget. The $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, established by the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to fund environmental initiatives. Additionally, the White House has requested a record-level FY24 EPA budget of over $12 billion. However, Republicans are pushing for a reduced budget of approximately $6 billion, the smallest since the early 1990s.
Criticism of Political Priorities
Mandy Gunasekara, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation and former EPA chief of staff during the Trump administration, criticized the Biden administration for using the EPA as a means to fund left-wing groups rather than focusing on environmental improvement. Gunasekara expressed concern over the lack of reporting and urged the Energy and Commerce Committee to hold the agency’s Chief Financial Officer accountable for the oversight.
The EPA has yet to respond to requests for comment on the audit findings.
