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Open Recommendations (3 total)

Zoonotic Diseases: Federal Actions Needed to Improve Surveillance and Better Assess Human Health Risks Posed by Wildlife

GAO-23-105238
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
U.S. Geological Survey The Director of USGS should work with APHIS to resolve data-sharing concerns and implement enhancements that would facilitate APHIS's participation in USGS's national wildlife disease database. (Recommendation 4)
Open
As of April 2024, APHIS and USGS have set up the National Wildlife Disease Database Steering Committee, which started meeting in early 2024 with a goal to complete the first iteration of the database by September 30, 2026. APHIS and USGS have also set up recurring meetings to discuss scientific issues of mutual interest. While these are positive steps, to implement this recommendation, APHIS and USGS must resolve data-sharing concerns and implement enhancements that would facilitate APHIS's participation in USGS's national wildlife disease database.

Zoonotic Diseases: Federal Actions Needed to Improve Surveillance and Better Assess Human Health Risks Posed by Wildlife

GAO-23-105238
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
U.S. Geological Survey The Director of USGS should more fully follow leading practices for collaboration while coordinating with APHIS to develop and implement a national wildlife disease surveillance system. This should include clearly defining common outcomes, involving relevant participants, and identifying resources and staffing. (Recommendation 2)
Open – Partially Addressed
In April 2024, APHIS provided us the charter for a steering committee that has been set up to develop a National Wildlife Disease Database. In addition to APHIS and USGS, the steering committee includes additional federal agencies and participants representing state and tribal interests. The charter also defines a long-term outcome of developing a first iteration of the database by September 30, 2026. To fully implement this recommendation, the agencies need to identify how they will track their progress toward this goal and identify how the steering committee will be funded and staffed.

Earthquakes: Progress Made to Implement Early Warning System, but Actions Needed to Improve Program Management

GAO-21-129
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
U.S. Geological Survey The Director of USGS should establish a schedule and milestones for ShakeAlert implementation consistent with best practices in GAO's schedule guide. (Recommendation 6)
Open – Partially Addressed
DOI concurred that the Director of USGS should establish a schedule and milestones for ShakeAlert implementation consistent with best practices in GAO's schedule guide. In July 2023, DOI provided us a list of milestones organized by work breakdown structure element for the remainder of system implementation. However, in November 2024, USGS told us they would not implement an integrated master schedule consisting of logically related activities whose forecasted dates are automatically recalculated when activities change, as called for by GAO best practices. USGS reported that the cost of establishing an integrated master schedule did not justify the benefit. Specifically, USGS officials reported that the extra staff time needed to use this software was cost prohibitive. Therefore, this recommendation is partially addressed, and we will continue to monitor its implementation.
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