Watershed Assessment process under investigation

EPA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced it is conducting preliminary research to determine whether the agency followed laws, regulations, policies and procedures when it developed the Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment. The internal investigation was initiated after congressional requests and hotline complaints.

The Office of Inspector General has requested a list of all EPA personnel involved in development of the Watershed Assessment, stakeholders EPA interacted with before and during the course of the assessment, a timeline of activities EPA performed to conduct and complete the assessment, and an accounting of all costs associated with development of the assessment.

Read the Inspector General’s letter

Read news reports:
Inspector General to probe EPA’s ‘preemptive veto’ on Pebble (Mineweb.com)

EPA watchdog reviewing agency’s work on Bristol Bay and Pebble mine (Anchorage Daily News)