EPA Didn’t Track Grant Money Carefully, Watchdog Says (1)

The EPA made three times as many improper grant payments than it reported last fiscal year, according to a report issued Wednesday by the agency’s internal watchdog.

The Office of Inspector General said the Environmental Protection Agency should have reported at least $71.3 million in improper grant payments in fiscal 2019, but only reported $22.5 million.

In a study of 20 grants, an additional $571,469 in grant payments was unaccounted for, the OIG said it found.

Improper payments includes those to ineligible parties, for goods or services that either weren’t received or aren’t eligible, duplicate payments, and payments so poorly ...