Modernization

EPA Could Save Taxpayers Thousands of Dollars Through Stronger Oversight of Mobile Phones

The agency “missed an opportunity” to better use $12,000 spent over two years on unnecessary voice and data services, watchdog finds.

Digital Government

EPA Rule Will Make Its Custom Code Open Source By Default

As part of the new policy, EPA will create an enterprise code inventory to classify the extent to which all custom-built software will be shared with other agencies and the general public.

Cybersecurity

EPA Cybersecurity Weaknesses Are Going Untracked and Unpatched

One EPA employee said their office was tracking vulnerabilities on their own to avoid oversight from other agency components.

Modernization

Shoddy Contracting Practices Lead to Overbilling at EPA

A limited review by the inspector general found the agency had paid of unallowable costs.

Cybersecurity

Chemical Safety Board Needs to Consistently Follow Its Cyber Rules, Watchdog Says

Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General said the agency’s lack of defined policies makes it susceptible to security incidents.

Emerging Tech

Google’s New Tool to Fight Climate Change

The company will begin estimating local carbon pollution from cities around the world.

Digital Government

Cheap Sensors Are Democratizing Air-Quality Data

A new generation of inexpensive, portable air-quality sensors is making it easier for citizen groups and individuals to monitor the air around them.

Digital Government

Groups Monitoring Agency Website Changes See Deeper Trump Agenda

Removal of some health data from HHS site is simply a matter of reorganizing information by disease, not population group, HHS says.

Digital Government

Scott Pruitt’s New Rule Could Completely Transform the EPA

It would not only undermine 30 years of clean-air regulations, but radically restrict what science the agency is allowed to use.

Cybersecurity

EPA Sued Over Employees Using Encrypted Messaging App

An advocacy group is suing the EPA over an open records request regarding employees’ use of the application Signal.

Digital Government

A New Analysis of 4-Year-Old Data Shows the EPA Is Ignoring a Lot of Toxins in US Drinking Water

PFOA, an ingredient in Teflon, is far more prevalent in American drinking water than previously thought.

Digital Government

EPA Awards $58M Contract for Environmental Modeling

IT contractor CSRA will provide hardware and software to EPA’s existing high-performance computing system, among other things.

Cybersecurity

Congress Requests Review of EPA’s Use of Encrypted Communications

The use of encrypted communications applications across government is on the upswing, though such communications are still privy to sunshine laws.

Digital Government

Industry Group to Trump: Halting EPA Contracts is Bad for Business

Part of the contracting community voiced “serious concerns” over the move, calling on EPA and the new administration to “share as much information publicly as possible” about the validity, rationale and duration of contract suspensions.