Who, What, Why

Who We Are

The Office of Inspector General is an independent office within EPA that helps the agency protect the environment in a more efficient and cost effective manner. We consist of auditors, program analysts, investigators, and others with extensive expertise. Although we are a part of EPA, Congress provides us with our funding separate from the agency, to ensure our independence. We were created pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended Exit.

What We Do

We perform audits, evaluations, and investigations of EPA and its contractors, to promote economy and efficiency, and to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse. We also provide hotline services. We discuss issues with EPA management and others, including Congress, and provide detailed reports. Twice a year, we provide a Semiannual Report to Congress that identifies significant EPA deficiencies and proposed corrective actions and profiles our accomplishments.

Why We Do It

We strive to be the best in public service and oversight for a better tomorrow. By helping the agency operate more economically, effectively, and efficiently, we contribute to improved environmental quality and human health. We strive to provide solutions to problems that ultimately result in making America a cleaner and healthier place.

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Vision, Mission and Core Values

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IG Biography

Inspector General Arthur A. Elkins, Jr.

click to enlargeArthur A. Elkins Jr. became Inspector General of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) on June 25, 2010. He serves as the chief auditor and chief law enforcement officer for these agencies. Before his appointment, Mr. Elkins served as Associate General Counsel within EPA's Office of General Counsel. While in that position, he supervised the delivery of legal counsel, opinions, litigation support, and other legal services for the Office of General Counsel's Information Law Practice, Employment Law Practice, and Intellectual Property Law Practice. 

Previously, Mr. Elkins served as the Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel for the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, an independent federal executive branch agency responsible for pretrial services and adult parole and probation community offender supervision; Counsel to the Inspector General of the National Science Foundation; and Counsel within the Department of Defense, Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals. 

Prior to joining the federal government, Mr. Elkins served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the Ohio Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office and as an Assistant Public Defender in the Ohio Cuyahoga County Public Defender's Office. 

Mr. Elkins earned a bachelor's degree in social sciences from Thomas Edison State University; a Master of Business Administration degree from Baldwin-Wallace University; a Juris Doctor degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University; and a Master of Laws in Law and Government from Washington College of Law, The American University. Mr. Elkins is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and a Certified Board Advisor (CBA). 

Mr. Elkins is a member of the bar in Ohio, the District of Columbia, the United States District Court for Northern Ohio, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States of America. 

Mr. Elkins is the recipient of the Council of Counsels to the Inspectors General Leadership Award, the Federal Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency Award for Excellence in Investigations, and the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General Commendable Service Award. 

Mr. Elkins is the proud father of three children and resides in the greater Washington D.C. area with his wife, Gail.

IG Schedule

In response to EPA's mandate to increase transparency in its operations, EPA senior manager's calendars display all meetings attended by advocates, stakeholders, elected officials and others outside the agency. The calendars do not detail meetings or briefings that only involve EPA representatives.

IG Schedule 
RSS Feed of IG Schedule 

How We Are Organized

Explore the EPA Office of the Inspector General organization chart and learn more about the different offices within the OIG.

Immediate Office of the Inspector General

Arthur A. Elkins, Jr., Inspector General
Biography of the Inspector General

Charles Sheehan, Deputy Inspector General

Charles J. Sheehan became Deputy Inspector General of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April 2012. Before his appointment, Mr. Sheehan served four years as Judge on EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board. Prior to this, he was the Regional Counsel for EPA Region 6, comprising Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Before entering EPA, Mr. Sheehan was General Counsel of the U.S.-Mexico Border Environment Cooperation Commission. For nearly 15 years, he was a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, most of that period with the Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, where he represented EPA and other federal agencies in enforcement and defensive litigation in district and appellate courts under major federal environmental statutes. Mr. Sheehan earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a Juris Doctor degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. He is a member of the bar of the District of Columbia.

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Office of Audit

Kevin Christensen, Assistant Inspector General for Audit
Richard Eyermann, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audit

The Office of Audit (OA) designs and implements long-term, nation-wide audit plans to improve the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of agency programs and prevent fraud, waste, and mismanagement. The Office also leads and participates in multi-agency projects to address government-wide management issues.

OA performs financial, performance, forensic and external audits related to the following areas:

• financial statements
• contracts
• assistance agreements
• systems of internal control

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Office of Program Evaluation

Carolyn Copper, Assistant Inspector General for Program Evaluation
Christine El-Zoghbi, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Program Evaluation

The Office of Program Evaluation (OPE) supports the OIG mission to promote economy, efficiency, effectiveness and prevent fraud, waste and abuse through independent oversight of EPA programs. OPE has overall responsibility for leading evaluations and performance audits of EPA programs and activities that support clean air, clean water, safer chemicals, cleaner communities, and scientific research that informs EPA decisions. OPE is comprised of a multidisciplinary workforce that evaluates the design, implementation, and measurement of EPA programs including evidence of program effectiveness and results.

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Office of Investigations

Patrick Sullivan, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations
Craig Ulmer, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations
Allan Williams, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations

The Office of Investigations manages, sets policy, coordinates, and has overall responsibility for criminal investigations of allegations of:

• Financial fraud involving EPA programs or funds (i.e. Contract Fraud, Grant Fraud, etc.)
• Employee Misconduct
• Intrusion into EPA systems and computers
• Threats against EPA employees, contractors, facilities and assets
• Assaults on EPA employees or contractors and other acts of violence committed in EPA facilities
• Impersonating EPA Officials
• Counterfeiting or misuse of EPA official insignia, logos or credentials
• Theft of property or funds within EPA facilities

In addition, the Office of Investigation is responsible for the OIG Hotline, which receives complaints of fraud, waste, and abuse in EPA programs and operations.

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Office of Counsel & Congressional and Public Affairs

Counsel

Alan Larsen, Counsel to the Inspector General
Eric Hanger, Deputy Counsel

The Office of Counsel (OC) provides independent legal and policy advice to all components of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on a variety of substantive and procedural matters relating to the OIG’s audit, program evaluation, investigation, and other activities. This office represents the OIG in administrative litigation before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the U.S. Department of Labor. OC manages the OIG ethics program, providing ethics training, advice, and financial disclosure reviews.  OC also coordinates OIG responses to Freedom of Information Act and other document requests.

OC activities also include legal reviews as deemed necessary by the Inspector General in response to requests by members of Congress, the agency, or the public.

Congressional and Public Affairs

Alan Larsen, Assistant Inspector General for Congressional and Public Affairs
Jennifer Kaplan, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Congressional and Public Affairs

The Office of Congressional and Public Affairs performs communications functions. Specifically:

Congressional and Public Affairs staff provide communications and liaison services to Congress, the public, and the media. The staff edit, publish, and distribute OIG reports that address needed agency improvement, and manage information posted on OIG Websites.

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Office of Management

Ed Shields, Acting Assistant Inspector General for Office of Management
Chris Gaffney, Acting Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Office of Management

The Office of Management serves as the corporate focal point, under the Immediate Office of the Inspector General. OM is responsible for organization-wide coordination and leadership in promoting the most efficient use and accountability for OIG resources in effectively achieving its mission and strategic goals. The Office of Management is organized into three sub-components: Budget, Planning, and Results Directorate, the Human Resources Directorate, and Support Services.

The Office of Management is comprised of Human Resources, Budget, Finance, Performance Results, Procurement, Emergency Management and Building Support Services to serve the needs of our customers. We look forward to providing you with professional, timely, value added products and services.

Within the Office of Management the Directorate of Information Technology Systems and Services advances the OIG mission by providing economic, efficient and effective IT systems and data analysis services. We are enablers of technology that deliver and maintain superior information and management systems through collaborative partnerships, teamwork and exemplary customer service. The following goals underscore and guide OIG information technology (IT) activities throughout the coming years, and serve as the fundamental drivers for determining appropriate technology projects and priorities. By focusing on these IT goals, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) improve the quality, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness of its products and services.

U.S. Chemical Safety Board

The Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency holds the position of Inspector General for the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. The U.S. CSB is authorized by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Exit and became operational in January 1998.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducts annual financial audits, and annual evaluations of information security. The OIG also conducts evaluations of CSB programs.

In addition to audits and evaluations, the OIG provides a hotline service to receive complaints of fraud, waste, and abuse in CSB programs and operations including mismanagement or violations of law, rules, or regulations. Complaints may be received directly from CSB employees or the general public.

U.S. Chemical Safety Board Exit

EPA OIG Related Resource Links

Helpful resources for questions and concerns that do not involve reportable fraud, waste, and abuse in U.S. EPA programs: