Skip to main content

Natural Resources and Environment

Jump To:

Recent Reports

View More Reports

Open Recommendations

Hurricane Hunter Aircraft: NOAA and Air Force Should Take Steps to Meet Growing Demand for Reconnaissance Missions
GAO-25-107210
Mar 14, 2025
Show
8 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Air Force The Commander of the Air Force Reserve Command should, in coordination with the Administrator of NOAA, develop and implement a process to systematically track data on the reasons Hurricane Hunter mission requirements are missed. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The Administrator of NOAA should, in coordination with the Commander of the Air Force Reserve Command, develop and implement a process to systematically track data on the reasons Hurricane Hunter mission requirements are missed. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Commander of the Air Force Reserve Command should perform a comprehensive assessment of its Hurricane Hunter workforce, including examining staffing levels and workforce structure, to inform future workforce planning. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The Administrator of NOAA should perform a comprehensive assessment of its Hurricane Hunter workforce, including examining staffing levels and workforce structure, to inform future workforce planning. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Commerce The Secretary of Commerce should ensure that NOAA's funding needs for Hurricane Hunter aircraft acquisitions are regularly communicated to relevant stakeholders, including Congress, such as by including information on these needs in its annual budget requests. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Commander of the Air Force Reserve Command should assess whether Air Force processes create barriers to upgrading Hurricane Hunter aircraft capabilities and define strategies to mitigate any identified barriers, as appropriate. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

New Chemicals Program: EPA Needs a Systematic Process to Better Manage and Assess Performance
GAO-25-106839
Jan 22, 2025
Show
2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should ensure that NCD, as it finalizes its strategic plan, addresses relevant key practices for managing and assessing the New Chemicals Program, including involving stakeholders and identifying resources. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should ensure NCD implements a systematic process that aligns the division's performance management approach with key management and assessment practices. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Oil and Gas: Bureau of Indian Affairs Could Improve Lease Management of Trust and Restricted Land
GAO-25-106307
Dec 19, 2024
Show
6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Director of BIA should compile comprehensive bond information for oil and gas leases—including bond amounts, bond types, and leases covered by each bond—and develop and implement an approach to maintain a record of bond information over time. (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 Director of BIA should compile comprehensive information on bond claims for oil and gas leases and develop and implement an approach to maintain a record of bond claims over time. (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 Director of BIA should provide greater specificity in current guidance or develop additional policy or guidance for BIA offices related to their responsibilities for bonding including setting initial bond amounts for lessees, when and how to increase existing bond amounts, collecting bonds, and requiring bonds for non-lessee operators. (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 Director of BIA should establish a policy for bond reviews that includes clear guidance on the frequency of reviews or specific triggers for reviews and factors to be included in reviews. (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 Director of BIA should, in consultation with Tribes, assess its bond requirements to determine if they are sufficient to ensure lessees do not abandon wells and make changes, accordingly, to guidance or regulations, including considering if changes are needed to minimum bond amounts. (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 Director of BIA, to help ensure that bond amounts are sufficient to meet their intended purpose, should provide information to Tribes on options for tailoring bond amounts to their needs, including mechanisms to require bond amounts higher than the regulatory minimum. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Climate Change: Improved Data and Performance Management Would Strengthen U.S. Support to the Indo-Pacific
GAO-25-106236
Dec 10, 2024
Show
7 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure that all relevant bureaus and offices implement improvements to track award amounts by country for multi-country activities provided to countries in the Indo-Pacific region to address climate risks, when possible. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
U.S. Trade and Development Agency The Director of USTDA should ensure that all relevant offices track award amounts by country for multi-country activities provided to countries in the Indo-Pacific region to address climate risks, when possible. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
U.S. Agency for International Development The USAID Administrator should clarify agency guidance for context monitoring to ensure the officials who manage the performance of climate activities develop mitigation strategies in their activity planning documents to address any identified external or internal factors that could affect achieving the activity's results. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure that the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs establishes procedures for the officials who manage the performance of climate activities to develop activity plans that identify external or internal factors that could affect achieving results and associated mitigation strategies. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Interior The Secretary of the Interior should ensure that the Office of Insular Affairs establishes procedures for the officials who manage the performance of climate activities to develop activity plans that identify external or internal factors that could affect achieving results and associated mitigation strategies. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The Administrator of NOAA should ensure that the Director of the CRCP establishes procedures for the officials who manage the performance of climate activities to develop activity plans that identify external or internal factors that could affect achieving results and associated mitigation strategies. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
View More Recommendations

Related Pages

GAO Contacts

View More Contacts