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Open Recommendations

Indian Affairs: Additional Actions Needed to Address Long-standing Challenges with Workforce Capacity
GAO-25-106825
Nov 13, 2024
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7 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should, by March 2027, collect lessons learned regarding the use and sufficiency of funds for administrative costs associated with legislation that provides funds for Tribes outside of baseline appropriations and share these lessons with Interior and Congress. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should track vacancy data across Indian Affairs in a systematic and centralized manner. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should identify skills, knowledge, and competency gaps in mission-critical occupations across Indian Affairs. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should develop consolidated written guidance that clarifies what hiring authorities, recruitment incentives, and workforce flexibilities can be leveraged for recruitment and retention purposes. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should develop a proposal that identifies capacity-building opportunities and the resources necessary to pursue them and share the proposal with Interior for consideration. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should develop a proposal that identifies legislative opportunities to build capacity and the resources necessary to pursue them and share the proposal with Congress for consideration. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Abandoned Mine Land: Opportunities Exist to Improve Interior's Economic Revitalization Program for Coal Communities
GAO-24-106680
Jun 20, 2024
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement The Principal Deputy Director of OSMRE should determine and document what options, if any, states and Tribes have for using funds that cannot be otherwise spent in a given grant year. (Recommendation 1)
Open
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) concurred with this recommendation. In December 2024, OSMRE stated that it would identify and document what options if any, would allow states and Tribes to track and use funds that cannot be used during any given year by December 31, 2025. When we confirm what actions OSMRE has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement In updating the Federal Assistance Manual, the Principal Deputy Director of OSMRE should ensure that OSMRE provides states and Tribes clear and timely documented guidance that addresses challenges states and Tribes identified, such as those around location requirements. (Recommendation 2)
Open
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) concurred with this recommendation. In December 2024, OSMRE stated that it is in the process of updating its Federal Assistant Manual (FAM) to include general information related to the management of the AMLER program. As part of its planned FAM update, OSMRE stated that it would, as practicable, provide guidance on challenges identified by GAO and states and Tribes. When we confirm what actions OSMRE has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement The Principal Deputy Director of OSMRE should regularly track reliable and complete information in a consistent and systematic way on how long it takes to review and approve project proposals and use this information to monitor processing time. (Recommendation 3)
Open
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) concurred with this recommendation. In December 2024, OSMRE stated that, as resources allow, OSMRE will develop a system, that tracks reliable and complete information regarding the timely review and approval of AMLER project proposals. OSMRE will also enhance policies and procedures to strengthen program monitoring, metrics, and associated data requirements. OSMRE stated that it would take these steps by December 31, 2026. When we confirm what actions OSMRE has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement The Principal Deputy Director of OSMRE should document the roles and responsibilities of OSMRE staff in headquarters, regional, and field offices, and seek opportunities to streamline the review process. (Recommendation 4)
Open
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) concurred with this recommendation. In December 2024, OSMRE stated that it will continue to evaluate the roles and responsibilities of staff in its headquarters, regional, and field offices implementing the AMLER program to ensure that AMLER funds produce on the ground results expeditiously and efficiently. When we confirm that OSMRE has taken steps to address this recommendation (e.g., documented the roles and responsibilities of staff in its headquarters, regional, and field offices), we will provide updated information.

Economic Development: Additional Training Could Help Small Lenders Implement Technology
GAO-24-106226
Apr 11, 2024
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Treasury The Secretary of the Treasury should ensure that the Director of the CDFI Fund develops training or other materials for improving CDFIs' technology capacity. These resources should address the specific capacity limitations of and challenges faced by CDFIs, particularly smaller institutions. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Justice40: Additional Efforts Needed to Improve Tribal Applicants' Access to Federal Programs Under Environmental Justice Initiative
GAO-24-106511
Apr 10, 2024
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9 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should ensure that the program offices of EPA Justice40 covered programs document previously identified statutory and regulatory barriers to access for tribal applicants informing their implementation of the Justice40 Initiative. As a part of this process, the agency should—with input from Tribes—identify any additional changes necessary to address remaining statutory and regulatory barriers, recommending legislative changes where the agency determines appropriate. The agency should make a summary of the results of this process publicly available. (Recommendation 1)
Open
In written comments reproduced in our report, EPA stated that it anticipates taking steps in the coming months to implement our recommendations on improving tribal applicants' access to Justice40 covered programs. We will update the status of this recommendation when we receive additional information from the agency.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Administrator of FEMA should ensure that program offices of FEMA Justice40 covered programs document previously identified statutory and regulatory barriers to access for tribal applicants informing their implementation of the Justice40 Initiative. As a part of this process, the agency should—with input from Tribes—identify any additional changes necessary to address remaining statutory and regulatory barriers, recommending legislative changes where the agency determines appropriate. The agency should make a summary of the results of this process publicly available. (Recommendation 2)
Open
In written comments reproduced in our report, FEMA stated that it anticipates taking steps in the coming months to implement our recommendations on improving tribal applicants' access to Justice40 covered programs. We will update the status of this recommendation when we receive additional information from the agency.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that program offices of USDA Justice40 covered programs document previously identified statutory and regulatory barriers to access for tribal applicants informing their implementation of the Justice40 Initiative. As a part of this process, the agency should—with input from Tribes—identify any additional changes necessary to address remaining statutory and regulatory barriers, recommending legislative changes where the agency determines appropriate. The agency should make a summary of the results of this process publicly available. (Recommendation 3)
Open
In written comments reproduced in our report, USDA stated that it anticipates taking steps in the coming months to implement our recommendations on improving tribal applicants' access to Justice40 covered programs. We will update the status of this recommendation when we receive additional information from the agency.
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should ensure that program offices implementing Justice40 covered programs maintain records of related consultations with Tribes and consider—with tribal input—publicly sharing a high-level summary of consultation results, as appropriate, to improve tribal applicants' access to information about tribal input on federal programs and decrease the burden on Tribes and eligible Indigenous communities. (Recommendation 4)
Open
In written comments reproduced in our report, EPA stated that it anticipates taking steps in the coming months to implement our recommendations on improving tribal applicants' access to Justice40 covered programs. We will update the status of this recommendation when we receive additional information from the agency.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Administrator of FEMA should ensure that program offices implementing Justice40 covered programs maintain records of related consultations with Tribes and consider—with tribal input—publicly sharing a high-level summary of consultation results, as appropriate, to improve tribal applicants' access to information about tribal input on federal programs and decrease the burden on Tribes and eligible Indigenous communities. (Recommendation 5)
Open
In written comments reproduced in our report, FEMA stated that it anticipates taking steps in the coming months to implement our recommendations on improving tribal applicants' access to Justice40 covered programs. We will update the status of this recommendation when we receive additional information from the agency.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of the USDA should ensure that program offices implementing Justice40 covered programs maintain records of related consultations with Tribes and consider—with tribal input—publicly sharing a high-level summary of consultation results, as appropriate, to improve tribal applicants' access to information about tribal input on federal programs and decrease the burden on Tribes and eligible Indigenous communities. (Recommendation 6)
Open
In written comments reproduced in our report, USDA stated that it anticipates taking steps in the coming months to implement our recommendations on improving tribal applicants' access to Justice40 covered programs. We will update the status of this recommendation when we receive additional information from the agency.
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