Environmental Enforcement: EPA Needs a Better Strategy to Manage Its Cross-Media Information
IMTEC-92-14
Published: Apr 02, 1992. Publicly Released: May 06, 1992.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed: (1) whether the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is using sound methodologies to develop information systems that assemble cross-media information from different EPA environmental programs; and (2) impediments to the effective EPA management of information resources to meet users' needs for cross-media information.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Protection Agency | To better meet users' cross-media information needs and correct its material internal control weakness by developing IDEA and redesigning FINDS, the Administrator, EPA, should direct the Assistant Administrator for Enforcement to assess user needs for the IDEA system, including analytical capabilities to: (1) develop a formal test plan; (2) properly test existing software; and (3) document the IDEA system design and software before developing additional software for the system. |
Closed – Implemented
EPA has completed its efforts to correct the deficiencies with IDEA. EPA assessed users' needs and subsequently developed an improved user interface for IDEA. In lieu of a formal test plan, EPA developed a testing protocol for IDEA that it used to guide testing of the software and user interface. Testing and verification of the IDEA software was also accomplished by users who compared the output from IDEA with the output from equivalent queries run on the separate systems from which IDEA draws its data. EPA has developed system documentation and a 400-page user manual for the system.
|
| Environmental Protection Agency | To better meet users' cross-media information needs and correct its material internal control weakness by developing IDEA and redesigning FINDS, the Administrator, EPA, should direct the Assistant Administrator for Administration and Resources Management to address data quality problems in the FINDS redesign project by setting standards for accuracy, completeness, and timeliness and by developing a plan for the maintenance of the system. |
Closed – Implemented
According to EPA, the agency replaced FINDS with a new system called the Facility Index Initiative, which is now known as the Facility Linkage Application. EPA officials stated that the application has been implemented and is fully functional.
|
| Environmental Protection Agency | To better meet users' cross-media information needs and correct its material internal control weakness by developing IDEA and redesigning FINDS, the Administrator, EPA, should reinstate as a material internal control weakness the EPA inability to bring together data from across the agency for enforcement purposes until EPA demonstrates that its enforcement staff and managers are obtaining the information they need to set enforcement priorities, target enforcement, and conduct program oversight. |
Closed – Implemented
EPA took an alternative action. Instead of reinstating as a material internal control weakness its inability to bring together data for enforcement purposes, the 1992 FMFIA report states that deficiencies in developing IDEA constitute a material weakness and that system testing and documentation, the user interface, user manual, and user training are elements of this weakness. EPA again reported deficiencies in developing IDEA as a material weakness in its 1993 FMFIA report pending completion of system testing. System testing is expected to be completed by the end of FY 1995. Since the purpose of IDEA is to provide the capability to bring together and analyze data for enforcement purposes, GAO believes EPA's alternative action is appropriate.
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| Environmental Protection Agency | To strengthen the EPA overall ability to accomplish its cross-media mission, the Administrator, EPA, should complete the agency's cross-media IRM strategy by developing policies and guidance and instituting management procedures to plan, coordinate, and budget for cross-media information resources and activities. |
Closed – Implemented
EPA has instituted a new process to plan, coordinate, and budget for its agencywide information resources, including cross-media systems and data. This process involves the agency's senior officials at the assistant and regional administrator levels as part of an executive IRM steering committee to develop strategic plans, coordinate program activities, and budget for agencywide and cross-media information management activities.
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| Environmental Protection Agency | To strengthen the EPA overall ability to accomplish its cross-media mission, the Administrator, EPA, should complete the agency's cross-media IRM strategy by developing an agencywide information systems architecture that explains the structure of and communications among the agency's information resources that are needed to achieve its single- and cross-media missions. |
Closed – Implemented
EPA agreed with this recommendation and established a framework for developing an information systems architecture. However, after seven years, EPA efforts to develop an information system architecture are still in the planning stage.
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| Environmental Protection Agency | To strengthen the EPA overall ability to accomplish its cross-media mission, the Administrator, EPA, should complete the agency's cross-media IRM strategy by developing an agencywide plan to improve cross-media data quality including setting, implementing, and enforcing data standards and developing and maintaining a comprehensive data dictionary. |
Closed – Implemented
EPA agreed with this recommendation and has developed a plan to improve cross-media data quality be setting and implementing data standards for 13 national environmental information systems. Also, EPA has developed and is maintaining a data dictionary for these systems.
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