Interior IG Releases Few Investigative Reports

You might think reports of investigations into government wrongdoing would be available for the public to read. But you'd be wrong — at least when it comes to reports by the Interior Department's Inspector General's office, which is supposed to be the independent watchdog keeping the agency honest.

Of the 457 investigations closed by the Interior IG's office last year, the office released public reports on only three.

One of those investigations was into allegations that the petroleum company BP America underpaid the gas royalties it owed the government by millions of dollars.

Not only were many of the reports withheld or redacted, but even the list of investigations was redacted before it was released.

Reporters Emily Yehle and Kevin Bogardus dug up the story for the environmental publication Greenwire in an October 14, 2014, story.

• "Interior: IG Investigates a Lot, Shares Little with Public," Greenwire ($$), October 14, 2014, by Emily Yehle and Kevin Bogardus.
• Redacted list of Interior IG Office investigations.
• Previous Stories: WatchDogs of December 4, 2013, October 3, 2012, and September 8, 2011.