Reports

The OIG investigated allegations that a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) employee working at a refuge stole copper wiring and a bulldozer. We found that the employee removed copper from the former military facilities at the refuge and sold it for less than $5,000 during the last 10 years. We did not find evidence that the employee converted a Government-owned bulldozer for personal use or financial gain. We presented our interim findings to the FWS, and the employee was subsequently removed from Federal service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined prosecution.

We investigated allegations that a tribal non-profit organization misused $50,000 it received for a 3-day training conference. It received the funds from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) through a cooperative agreement. We did not find any evidence of misuse of funds or of false claims and determined the organization used the full amount of the cooperative agreement to cover costs associated with the training conference.

On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). To date the CARES Act has provided the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) with $909.7 million, which includes direct apportionments of $756 million to support the needs of DOI programs, bureaus, Indian Country, and the Insular Areas, and a $153.7 million transfer from the U.S. Department of Education to the BIE. This report presents the DOI’s progress as of December 31, 2020, in spending CARES Act appropriations.

Where’s the Money? DOI Use of CARES Act Funds as of December 31, 2020

We evaluated the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations. We found that the Bureau of Indian Affairs violated Federal regulations by delegating land title authority to its Acquisition Center. The delegation of land title authority resulted in confusion about roles and responsibilities, allegations of title document defects, breakdown in communication between offices, and the potential for litigation.