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Renewable Energy: Agencies Have Taken Steps Aimed at Improving the Permitting Process for Development on Federal Lands (open access)

Renewable Energy: Agencies Have Taken Steps Aimed at Improving the Permitting Process for Development on Federal Lands

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005), federal land management agencies--primarily the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM)--have received hundreds of applications for utilityscale renewable energy projects and authorized 25 projects: 7 wind, 10 solar, and 8 geothermal projects. Applications for the majority of projects were withdrawn by the applicants or denied by BLM because of insufficient information. Applications for about one-fourth of the projects are still pending with the agencies. Time frames for permitting wind and solar projects ranged from 1.5 to 4 years from receipt of the initial application to approval of the project, with time frames decreasing for applications submitted in later years. For geothermal projects, permitting time frames ranged from 1 to 4 years from receipt of the initial application to approval for construction. In all, for projects applied for since EPAct 2005, BLM has authorized projects with the capacity to generate a total of about 5,450 megawatts of electricity, contributing to the act's goal of approving projects capable of generating 10,000 megawatts of electricity on public lands by 2015."
Date: January 18, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Charitable Choice: Overview of Research Findings on Implementation (open access)

Charitable Choice: Overview of Research Findings on Implementation

A briefing report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Charitable choice provisions require states and localities to allow religious organizations to compete for federal funding on the same basis as other social service providers, without impairing the religious character of such organizations. Congress has been considering legislation to expand charitable choice provisions to other government programs. At least 19 states have contracted with faith-based organizations (FBOs) to provide some welfare services. Moreover, states are using various approaches to implement charitable choice legislation. For example, some states have created state faith-based liaisons to promote greater awareness of charitable choice provisions or removed barriers to contracting with FBOs. Several factors have limited the establishment of collaborations between FBOs and states, including some FBOs' lack of awareness and understanding of charitable choice provisions, their reluctance to partner with government, and the limited financial and administrative capacity of some FBOs. Once collaborations have occurred, some small FBOs have had problems (1) covering ongoing costs while awaiting government reimbursement or (2) managing the performance-based contracts because of limited technological and management systems. GAO found no information with which to assess the effectiveness of FBOs as providers of social services. Although …
Date: January 18, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Thrift Savings Plan: Customer Service Practices Adopted by Private Sector Plan Managers Should Be Considered (open access)

Federal Thrift Savings Plan: Customer Service Practices Adopted by Private Sector Plan Managers Should Be Considered

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Intended to resemble private sector 401(k) pension plans, the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) held more than $128 billion in retirement assets for over 3 million participants at the end of 2003. Customer service-related difficulties during the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board's (TSP's governing body) record-keeping system conversion in 2003 led the Chairman of a Senate Committee to ask GAO to examine the customer service provided to TSP participants. This review describes (1) customer service provisions within TSP and those offered by private sector managers and (2) customer service practices used by private sector plan managers that could be considered for use in TSP."
Date: January 18, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Education Research: Education Should Improve Assessments of R&D Centers, Regional Labs, and Comprehensive Centers (open access)

Education Research: Education Should Improve Assessments of R&D Centers, Regional Labs, and Comprehensive Centers

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Research and Development (R&D) Centers, Regional Labs, and Comprehensive Centers support the Department of Education's research agenda to various degrees. Because statutes define different missions and activities for these programs, the amount and focus of the research and other research-based activities they support varies. Education shapes the priorities that guide the research done by the R&D Centers and targets the technical assistance provided by the Comprehensive Centers through requirements in agreements with these entities. However, Education has little control over the activities of the Regional Labs because, unlike most federal education programs, neither federal nor state governments have oversight responsibility for their programs. The R&D Centers, Regional Labs, and Comprehensive Centers reported collaborating and coordinating with each other and Education and cited various factors that have either facilitated or hindered such activities. They said that they were most likely to engage in these activities when they shared a common interest in a specific student population, such as English language learners, or in a specific topic, such as assessment. Current evaluation practices for assessing the R&D Centers, Regional Labs, and Comprehensive Centers have provided only limited information …
Date: January 18, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Potential Questions to Elicit Nominees' Views on Agencies' Management Challenges (open access)

Potential Questions to Elicit Nominees' Views on Agencies' Management Challenges

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO provided a list of potential questions that Senate committees could use to help determine the leadership and management experiences and capabilities of nominees to leadership posts in major executive branch agencies. These questions cover a wide range of management-related issues in different organizations within each agency and, therefore, would not be relevant to all nominees. GAO suggests that these questions be used to prompt informal and formal discussions on management challenges."
Date: January 18, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Entitlement Reform Process: Other Countries' Experiences Provide Useful Insights for the United States (open access)

Entitlement Reform Process: Other Countries' Experiences Provide Useful Insights for the United States

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Looking to the future, our nation faces large and growing structural deficits and escalating federal debt due primarily to rising health care costs and known demographic trends. Slowing the growth of entitlements is an essential part of the solution to these challenges. GAO was asked to identify useful insights from the entitlement reform processes in other countries. Specifically, GAO was asked to analyze (1) other countries' major efforts to reform entitlement programs, (2) the pressure(s) that led countries to undertake the reforms, (3) how reform proposals were developed, and (4) to what extent enacted reforms built in triggers requiring future actions under certain conditions; and where such trigger mechanisms did not exist, whether some adjustments nonetheless occurred. GAO conducted a literature review focusing on developed, high-income Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries facing similar fiscal challenges. To gain a more in-depth understanding of reform process, GAO selected three efforts for further study: Sweden's pension reform in 1998, Germany's pension reform in 2004, and the Netherlands' disability reform in 2005. For these cases GAO interviewed government officials, reform participants, and experts knowledgeable about the reforms. …
Date: January 18, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Employee Benefits Security Administration: Enforcement Improvements Made but Additional Actions Could Further Enhance Pension Plan Oversight (open access)

Employee Benefits Security Administration: Enforcement Improvements Made but Additional Actions Could Further Enhance Pension Plan Oversight

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) enforces the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), which sets certain minimum standards for private sector pension plans. On the basis of GAO's prior work, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions asked GAO to review EBSA's enforcement program. Specifically, this report assesses (1) the extent to which EBSA has improved its compliance activities since 2002; (2) how EBSA's enforcement practices compare to those of other agencies; and (3) what obstacles, if any, affect ERISA enforcement. To do this, we reviewed EBSA's enforcement strategy and operations, and interviewed officials at EBSA, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), among others."
Date: January 18, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
HUD and Treasury Programs: More Information on Leverage Measures' Accuracy and Linkage to Program Goals Is Needed in Assessing Performance (open access)

HUD and Treasury Programs: More Information on Leverage Measures' Accuracy and Linkage to Program Goals Is Needed in Assessing Performance

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This is the second of two reports on the leveraging of federal funds in housing and community and economic development programs. Leveraging involves using a source of funds to attract other funds or combining multiple sources of funds. This report examines (1) the leverage measures and the transparency of the data and methods used to calculate them, and (2) the relevance of such measures in assessing performance that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) reported for six selected programs. To complete this work, GAO reviewed agency policies and reports, interviewed officials, and analyzed agency data."
Date: January 18, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Superfund: Status of EPA's Efforts to Improve Its Management and Oversight of Special Accounts (open access)

Superfund: Status of EPA's Efforts to Improve Its Management and Oversight of Special Accounts

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins ""
Date: January 18, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Credit Rating Agencies: Alternative Compensation Models for Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations (open access)

Credit Rating Agencies: Alternative Compensation Models for Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As of January 2012, GAO identified seven alternative models for compensating NRSROs (see table below). These models generally were designed to address the conflict of interest in the issuer-pays model, better align the NRSROs’ interest with users of ratings, or improve incentives NRSROs have to produce reliable and high-quality ratings. However, the amount of detail currently available for each model varies and none has been implemented. According to some of the authors of the models, there is little incentive to continue developing these models because it appears unlikely they will receive attention from regulators or legislators. For example, these authors noted that SEC had not reached out to them to further discuss these models as part of its ongoing study of alternative compensation models for credit rating agencies."
Date: January 18, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Force Structure--Need for Greater Transparency for the Army's Grow the Force Initiative Funding Plan (open access)

Force Structure--Need for Greater Transparency for the Army's Grow the Force Initiative Funding Plan

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In January 2007, the Secretary of Defense announced an initiative to expand the Army from a total of 1,037,000 to 1,112,000 active and reserve soldiers by fiscal year 2013--an increase of 74,200 military personnel--in order to meet increasing strategic demands and to help reduce stress on the force. This planned expansion includes building six additional active modular brigade combat teams and additional modular support units, which will require a substantial increase in funding for personnel, equipment, and infrastructure. Currently, the Army estimates this expansion may require about $70 billion in increased funding through fiscal year 2013 and a significant amount in annual funding thereafter to sustain the expanded Army. The President's fiscal year 2008 budget request contained $7.7 billion for Department of the Army funding related to the Grow the Force initiative. During the course of our review of Army modularity as required by the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, we analyzed the $70.2 billion Grow the Force initiative funding plan. We are submitting this letter to Congressional staff at this time to provide the results of our analysis for Congressional consideration as …
Date: January 18, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Real Estate Appraisals: Appraisal Subcommittee Needs to Improve Monitoring Procedures (open access)

Real Estate Appraisals: Appraisal Subcommittee Needs to Improve Monitoring Procedures

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) has been performing its monitoring role under Title XI, but several weaknesses have potentially limited its effectiveness. For example, Title XI did not originally provide ASC rulemaking and enforcement tools that could be useful in promoting state compliance. In addition, ASC has not reported or clearly defined the criteria it uses to assess states’ overall compliance levels. Title XI charges ASC with monitoring the appraisal requirements of the federal financial institutions regulators, but ASC has not defined the scope of this function—for example, by developing policies and procedures—and its monitoring activities have been limited. ASC also lacks specific policies for determining whether activities of the Appraisal Foundation (a private nonprofit organization that sets criteria for appraisals and appraisers) that are funded by ASC grants are Title XI-related. Not having appropriate policies and procedures is inconsistent with federal internal control standards designed to promote effectiveness and efficiency and limits the accountability and transparency of ASC’s activities."
Date: January 18, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare: Use of Preventive Services Could Be Better Aligned with Clinical Recommendations (open access)

Medicare: Use of Preventive Services Could Be Better Aligned with Clinical Recommendations

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Use of some preventive services--cardiovascular disease screening and cervical cancer screening--by FFS beneficiaries generally aligned with clinical recommendations, but use of other cancer screenings for certain age groups, osteoporosis screening, and immunizations did not. In particular, among women aged 65 to 74, for whom breast cancer screening is recommended biannually by the Task Force, only two out of three received a mammogram in 2008 or 2009. Among beneficiaries aged 65 to 75, about one out of four received any of the Task Force recommended regimens for colorectal cancer screening from 2005 through 2009. Among men aged 75 or older, about two out of five received a Prostate-Specific Antigen test for prostate cancer--a test that required no cost sharing--from 2006 through 2009 even though the Task Force recommended against this service for that age group. Use of osteoporosis screening--for which Medicare coverage is limited--and influenza and pneumococcal immunizations was generally lower than recommended by the Task Force or ACIP. The Department of Health and Human Services has the authority to modify coverage of Medicare preventive services--such as osteoporosis screening--consistent with Task Force recommendations."
Date: January 18, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Infrastructure: Realignment of Air Force Special Operations Command Units to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico (open access)

Defense Infrastructure: Realignment of Air Force Special Operations Command Units to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In September 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) recommended closing Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, unless a new mission for the base could be identified by December 31, 2009. In June 2006, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced that Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) would establish a new mission at Cannon Air Force Base and the command would take ownership of the base on October 1, 2007. As a result, Cannon Air Force Base will remain open. While DOD has satisfied the intent of the recommendation by finding a new mission for the base, this BRAC recommendation was unusual because it contained a contingency clause. Therefore, we reviewed DOD's implementation of this recommendation under the authority of the Comptroller General to conduct evaluations on his own initiative. This report (1) describes the factors underpinning the decision to house AFSOC at Cannon Air Force Base and (2) provides information on the cost estimate and timeline for the movement of personnel to establish the AFSOC mission."
Date: January 18, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dodd-Frank Act: Hybrid Capital Instruments and Small Institution Access to Capital (open access)

Dodd-Frank Act: Hybrid Capital Instruments and Small Institution Access to Capital

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Tier 1 hybrid capital instruments, particularly trust preferred securities, have been heavily used by bank holding companies because of their financial advantages, but they are not as effective in absorbing losses as traditional forms of Tier 1 capital, such as common equity. As of December 31, 2010, almost two-thirds of all top-level bank holding companies that were subject to capital requirements included hybrid instruments in their Tier 1 capital, for a total value of $157 billion. Hybrid instruments such as trust preferred securities have offered institutions the benefit of lower-cost capital, largely because of their debt-related features—including tax-deductible dividends. These instruments also are accessible to a broader range of potential investors. However, trust preferred securities do not absorb losses like other Tier 1 instruments because of their obligation to repay principal and dividends. Trust preferred securities may provide limited financial flexibility in times of stress, but they may also hinder efforts to recapitalize troubled banking institutions."
Date: January 18, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Intercity Passenger Rail: Highlights of GAO Report on Need for National Policy and Strategies to Maximize Public Benefits from Federal Expenditures (open access)

Intercity Passenger Rail: Highlights of GAO Report on Need for National Policy and Strategies to Maximize Public Benefits from Federal Expenditures

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The future of intercity passenger rail service in the United States has come to a critical juncture. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) continues to rely heavily on federal subsidies--over $1 billion annually in recent years--and operating losses have remained high. In addition, Amtrak will require billions of dollars to address deferred maintenance and achieve a "state of good repair." These needs for Amtrak come at a time when the nation faces long-term fiscal challenges. As we reported in February 2005, the federal government's financial condition and long-term fiscal outlook present enormous challenges to the nation's ability to respond to emerging forces reshaping American society, the United States' place in the world, and the future role of the federal government. Addressing the projected fiscal gaps will require policy makers to examine the affordability and sustainability of all existing programs, policies, functions, and activities throughout the federal budget. Reexamining the federal role and expenditures on intercity passenger rail service will be particularly difficult because opinions differ about what this service should be. Some advocate a greatly expanded federal role and the expansion of intercity passenger rail to relieve growing …
Date: January 18, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oil and Gas Royalties: Royalty Relief Will Likely Cost the Government Billions, but the Final Costs Have Yet to Be Determined (open access)

Oil and Gas Royalties: Royalty Relief Will Likely Cost the Government Billions, but the Final Costs Have Yet to Be Determined

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Oil and gas production from federal lands and waters is vital to meeting the nation's energy needs. As such, oil and gas companies lease federal lands and waters and pay royalties to the federal government based on a percentage of the oil and gas that they produce. The Minerals Management Service (MMS), an agency in the Department of the Interior, is responsible for collecting royalties from these leases. In order to promote oil and gas production, the federal government at times and in specific cases has provided "royalty relief," waiving or reducing the royalties that companies must pay. However, as production from these leases grows and oil and gas prices have risen since a major 1995 royalty relief act, questions have emerged about the financial impacts of royalty relief. Based on our work to date, GAO's statement addresses (1) the likely fiscal impacts of royalty relief on leases issued under the Outer Continental Shelf Deep Water Royalty Relief Act of 1995 and (2) other authority for granting royalty relief that could further impact future royalty revenue. To address these issues our ongoing work has included, among other things, …
Date: January 18, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Best Practices: Taking a Strategic Approach Could Improve DOD's Acquisition of Services (open access)

Best Practices: Taking a Strategic Approach Could Improve DOD's Acquisition of Services

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO studied several leading companies in the private sector that have made dramatic changes to their process for acquiring services. GAO found that these changes generally began with a corporate decision to pursue a more strategic approach to acquiring services--from developing a better picture of what the company was actually spending on services to developing new ways of doing business. The Defense Department (DOD), the government's largest purchaser of services, already has some elements in place that are essential to such a strategic approach, such as a commitment by top management to adopting best practices. However, DOD has yet to conduct a comprehensive analysis of its spending on services or thoroughly assess it's current structure, processes, and roles. DOD's size, the range and complexity of the services that it acquires, the capacity of its information and financial systems, and the unique requirements of the federal government are among the factors that DOD will need to consider as it tailors a strategic approach to its diverse needs."
Date: January 18, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
District of Columbia: Status of the New Convention Center Project (open access)

District of Columbia: Status of the New Convention Center Project

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Since GAO issued its November 2001 report (GAO-02-182R) on the new Washington Convention Center, the Washington Convention Center Authority (WCCA) and the construction manager have made significant progress in their negotiations to reset the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP). The two parties have agreed on the two most critical components of the GMP proposal: price and time frames for completing the new convention center. A special meeting of WCCA's board of directors has been scheduled for early to mid-February to review and officially act on the proposed GMP agreement. The revised GMP amount of $590.7 million represents a $71.3 million, or 13.7 percent, increase over the estimated GMP amount of $519.4 million cited in GAO's report."
Date: January 18, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library

[Photograph 2012.201.B0137.0172]

Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Click, who is finishing his fifth year on the board and his first as board president, said he has worked to improve communication among the board, district employees and patrons."
Date: January 18, 1988
Creator: Southerland, Paul
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

[Photograph 2012.201.B0146.0666]

Photograph used for a story in the Oklahoma Times newspaper. Caption: "HUMOROUS INTERLUDE in the state Senate came Wednesday in its closing minutes when Sen. Boyd Cowden of Chandler, left, was presented the "Woolie Booger of the Week" award by the Oklahoma City Press Club."
Date: January 18, 1961
Creator: Cobb, Richard
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

[Photograph 2012.201.B0136.0223]

Photograph used for a newspaper owned by the Oklahoma Publishing Company. Caption: "Left, Okla. County DA investigator David Parrett / Middle, Sidney R. Clarke III / right, Clarke's attorney Terry West."
Date: January 18, 1993
Creator: Sisney, Steve
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History
Securing, Stabilizing, and Rebuilding Iraq: GAO Audit Approach and Findings (open access)

Securing, Stabilizing, and Rebuilding Iraq: GAO Audit Approach and Findings

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO provided a strategic overview of GAO's work related to securing, stabilizing, and rebuilding Iraq. In our statement today, as requested, GAO highlighted (1) GAO's scope, authority, and coordination; (2) some of the insights stemming from our work in Iraq; and (3) the rigorous quality assurance framework that GAO uses to ensure relevant, reliable, and consistent results in all of our work. This testimony is based upon extensive work spanning several years. Since 2003, we have issued 67 Iraq-related reports and testimonies. For example, GAO sent a report to the Congress last week on a range of key issues for congressional oversight of efforts to secure, stabilize, and rebuild Iraq. Although many of our sources are classified, we strive to report information to the Congress in a public format to promote greater transparency and accountability of U.S. government policies, programs, and activities. As provided for in our congressional protocols, most of our work in Iraq has been performed under my authority to conduct evaluations on my own initiative since it is a matter of broad interest to the entire Congress and numerous committees in both chambers. Our work …
Date: January 18, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Collection and Reporting of Information Technology Purchases (open access)

Defense Acquisitions: Collection and Reporting of Information Technology Purchases

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Recent legislation requires that, beginning in October 2001, the Defense Department (DOD) collect procurement data on purchases of information technology (IT) products and services worth more than $100,000. DOD is required to issue its first annual report to Congress by March 2001. GAO found that DOD is making good progress in meeting the requirements of the legislation. DOD has modified data collection systems to enable them to collect and report mandated data. DOD officials see no obstacles to issuing their first report on IT data collection efforts by the March 2002 deadline."
Date: January 18, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library