EPA watchdog launches audit of agency’s AI practices

The Environmental Protection Agency’s inspector general has launched a compliance audit to determine whether the department violated federal rules for developing, deploying, and assessing artificial intelligence products.The inquiry follows a report by the Monitor, which found the EPA was moving to deploy custom AI products without sharing the details required by law and Trump administration regulations. That included AI tools designed to speed approvals for new applications of toxic chemicals and pesticides.The inspector general’s office revealed the existence of the probe in an online disclosure dated Oct. 19. Kim Wheeler, the watchdog’s director of external relations, told the Monitor the audit “will assess the EPA’s compliance” with a directive from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. That directive requires federal agencies to take steps to ensure AI tools are effective and mitigate their potential harms.Among other things, the OMB requires federal agencies to maintain an online directory of AI products in development. Those with the potential to have a “high impact” on people’s rights or public safety must undergo additional scrutiny prior to deployment, including risk mitigation measures and an independent review. The agencies are also required to create an appeals process – heard and decided by a human – for people who believe they have been wronged by an AI-based decision.The AI tools to vet toxic pesticides and chemicals were not listed in the agency’s inventory. Independent experts also told the Monitor that the EPA was out of compliance on two “high impact” AI tools it did disclose. One of them was designed to prioritize inspections of facilities that generate large amounts of hazardous waste. The Monitor sent the EPA a detailed inquiry with a list of questions that covered issues discussed in this story. We asked the agency whether it was in full compliance with the OMB directive and if it would fully cooperate with the inspector general’s audit. At the EPA press office’s request, the Monitor extended the deadline for a response, but the agency did not provide one.Timothy Whitehouse, executive director of the nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said he was encouraged the inspector general was launching an audit.“It’s a good first step,” he says, but bigger issues remain, including what Mr. Whitehouse says is a focus on speed over quality at an agency that has rapidly moved to expand AI, dramatically reduced staff, and shuttered the Office of Research and Development, where scientists studied the safety of toxic chemicals.Mr. Whitehouse says he is not against AI, but adds, “We need to make sure it is being used for good, with qualified scientists making final decisions that protect the environment and benefit public health.”On Oct. 5, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin released a plan that shows developing AI programs within the EPA will be a key focus for the remainder of Donald Trump’s presidency. The EPA’s proposed budget for 2027 was 52% less than what it received in 2026, but included more than $202 million “to support the United States becoming the global leader in AI.” This includes expanding AI capabilities within the EPA. The budget request also includes $3.5 million to utilize AI in the pesticide permitting process as well as “accelerate the use of AI approaches in chemical evaluations.”This runs parallel to the other key theme of the administrator’s tenure: deregulation. In March 2025, on what he described as “the greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen,” Mr. Zeldin targeted 31 environmental regulations, including standards for energy production and wastewater and air quality standards. Deepen your worldviewwith Monitor Highlights.Politics with respectGet political stories with respectful analysis.There‘s a world of new ideas in everyBooks newsletter.There‘s more to life, enrich yours withCulture & Learning weekly.Follow humanity‘s discoveries withScience & Nature stories in your inbox.Gain a spiritual perspectivefrom the stories in your inbox.Want to understand the deeper impact of critical events? Learn the Monitor‘s insight.Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads. The EPA’s inspector general did not provide a timeline for completing its compliance audit. Ms. Wheeler tells the Monitor that, when finished, it will be published online.Anuksha Madhan at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law and the Investigations Lab at UC Berkeley’s Human Rights Center contributed reporting. ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LoginReal news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.The Christian Science Monitor was founded in 1908 to lift the standard of journalism and uplift humanity. We aim to “speak the truth in love.” Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you the essential knowledge and understanding to come to your own intelligent conclusions. Join us in this mission by subscribing.