A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) points out that the U.S. Department of the Interior is struggling with weak data-sharing processes that are undermining oversight of oil and gas development on federal and Tribal lands.
Auditors found that weak data systems are hampering the department’s ability to lease land, verify production reports, and review bonds to ensure adequate cleanup funding. The three-year review, launched in 2023, included interviews with senior officials, including the CIO and chief data officer.
GAO reported that Interior relies heavily on manual data entry and operates at least one system that is inoperable and unable to receive or store reports. Some bureaus also failed to follow policies requiring formal data-sharing agreements. Such gaps increase the risk of data errors, inconsistencies, and potential security and privacy incidents.
“GAO identified challenges in three selected business processes—leasing land for oil and gas exploration, verifying that production is reported accurately, and reviewing bonds to ensure they are sufficient to cover cleanup costs,” the report states.
The watchdog urged the Interior secretary to implement an agencywide performance management strategy with measurable goals and timelines to reduce manual processes and improve governance. It also called for formal documentation of data-sharing agreements. The department concurred with both recommendations.