Reports

Investigative Report of Alleged Ethics Violations by the Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs

During recent investigations into allegations of private companies (producers) accessing and producing unleased Federal minerals, we uncovered programmatic vulnerabilities that undermine the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) oversight of Federal mineral production and limit the U.S. Government’s ability to address mineral trespass violations. The BLM did not respond to producers’ proposed drilling plans and forced-pooling participation requests based on State forced-pooling statutes for proposed units containing unleased Federal minerals.

Gas Marketing Company Conspired to Defraud Oil and Gas Companies on Leased Land

The OIG investigated an allegation that a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employee may have accessed and viewed child pornography on a Government computer on multiple occasions. We found that the employee accessed and viewed adult pornography on the Government computer while inside a Government office but found no evidence the employee viewed child pornography. The employee admitted viewing adult pornography on multiple occasions but denied any involvement with child pornography.

Inappropriate Use of a Government Computer