The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General published its Oversight Plan for Fiscal Year 2027 on September 15, 2026.
The OIG’s Office of Special Review and Evaluation, known as OSRE, reviews and evaluates EPA programs to assess their effectiveness and legal compliance.
OSRE also oversees operations of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board as part of its broader inspection mandate.
In FY 2027, OSRE will concentrate on key themes including EPA’s mission effectiveness and service delivery following significant organisational or legislative changes.
One area of focus involves reviewing the status of strategic research plans after most staff from EPA’s Office of Research and Development moved to other program offices.
Those staff transfers include a move to the newly established Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions, representing a substantial restructuring of the agency’s scientific operations.
OIG notes that “[s]ome staff moved to the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention to assist with backlogged chemical assessments stemming from legislative change.”
The legislative change referenced traces back to the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, enacted in 2016, which amended the Toxic Substances Control Act.
That legislation expanded EPA’s regulatory authority to cover existing chemicals in addition to new chemicals, significantly broadening the agency’s workload and responsibilities.
OSRE will complete work examining the extent to which the TSCA Interagency Testing Committee updates its Priority Testing List and addresses chemicals included on that list.
The Priority Testing List is a critical tool in identifying chemicals that warrant further regulatory scrutiny due to potential risks to human health or the environment.
A backlog of chemical assessments has built up in part because of the expanded scope introduced by the Lautenberg Act, placing considerable pressure on agency resources and staffing.
Beyond chemical safety, OSRE will also continue its focus on scientific integrity across EPA programs during the coming fiscal year.
The oversight body may additionally review the efficiency and speed of EPA’s contracting process, signalling a broad and wide-ranging agenda for the year ahead.