Featured Stories
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics: Eclipse Web App Tracks Real-time Sun Coverage From Anywhere in the World
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Aug. 12 -- The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics issued the following news release:
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New Eclipse Web App Tracks Real-time Sun Coverage From Anywhere in the World
The Center for Astrophysics app, called a Cosmic Data Story, makes it easy to discover the best viewing near you
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The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian has launched a new interactive web app for use during the August 12 total solar eclipse.
The interface, called a Cosmic Data Story, is built on WorldWide Telescope and works on both phones and computers. It lets anyone, from
... Show Full Article
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Aug. 12 -- The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics issued the following news release:
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New Eclipse Web App Tracks Real-time Sun Coverage From Anywhere in the World
The Center for Astrophysics app, called a Cosmic Data Story, makes it easy to discover the best viewing near you
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The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian has launched a new interactive web app for use during the August 12 total solar eclipse.
The interface, called a Cosmic Data Story, is built on WorldWide Telescope and works on both phones and computers. It lets anyone, fromanywhere on Earth, see exactly what the eclipse will look like from their location at any given time.
"We're making it easy for anybody to understand what a total eclipse looks like and how long the eclipse will last along different locations in the path of totality.," said Patricia Udomprasert, project director and research associate in the CfA's Science Education Department.
On a laptop or desktop, users can view a detailed overview of the event, where an interactive map shows the eclipse's path of totality across Spain, Iceland, and Greenland, and where a partial eclipse will be seen, including much of the U.S. Historical weather data about things like cloud cover can be overlaid on the map to predict the likelihood of clear skies along the path of totality.
On phones and tablets, the streamlined "in the field" view is designed for eclipse day itself: By entering or selecting a location, users can see a simulation of what the Sun will look like at that spot as the eclipse progresses. A built in timer offers countdowns to key moments such as the start of the partial phase and the onset of totality.
"This makes it easy for people to know when to put on their eclipse glasses as the eclipse begins, and when they can take them off to see the breathtaking glow of the Sun's corona in totality," Udomprasert noted.
The web app also incorporates real time weather forecasts alongside the historical cloud cover probability. Users can compare locations, consider both long term climate and short term forecasts, and adjust their plans--even on the day of the eclipse--based on the latest information.
This eclipse explorer is part of CfA's broader Cosmic Data Stories initiative, which uses sophisticated visualization tools to create intuitive, public facing experiences that help people learn STEM concepts.
The web app is available free online and requires no download. Users are encouraged to bookmark the page to use as a live guide. A share feature creates a url that takes the user directly to a specific location. Whether you are in the path of totality or viewing a partial eclipse, this tool offers a clear, data driven way to understand and experience the event.
Cosmic Data Stories is funded by a NASA Science Activation grant under cooperative agreement award No. 80NSSC21M0002 and is built using the open-source visualization software WorldWide Telescope.
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About the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian is a collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Harvard College Observatory designed to ask, and ultimately answer, humanity's greatest unresolved questions about the universe.
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Original text here: https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/new-eclipse-web-app-tracks-real-time-sun-coverage-anywhere-world
U.S. Chemical Safety Board Issues Final Report on August 2025 Fatal Coke Oven Gas Explosion at U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 (TNSrpt) -- The U.S. Chemical Safety Board issued the following news release:
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U.S. Chemical Safety Board Issues Final Report on August 2025 Fatal Coke Oven Gas Explosion at U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works
Today, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final report on the fatal August 11, 2025, explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works facility in Clairton, Pennsylvania. The incident occurred when toxic flammable coke oven gas was released and exploded -- fatally injuring two people, injuring 11 others, five of them seriously,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 (TNSrpt) -- The U.S. Chemical Safety Board issued the following news release:
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U.S. Chemical Safety Board Issues Final Report on August 2025 Fatal Coke Oven Gas Explosion at U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works
Today, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final report on the fatal August 11, 2025, explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works facility in Clairton, Pennsylvania. The incident occurred when toxic flammable coke oven gas was released and exploded -- fatally injuring two people, injuring 11 others, five of them seriously,and causing an estimated $52.5 million in property damage.
CSB Chairperson Steve Owens said, "This deadly incident was the result of an ad hoc informal procedure, poor facility siting, and an ineffective process safety management system at the Clairton facility. It should never have happened."
The U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works facility was built in 1901 and is the largest coke manufacturing facility in the Western Hemisphere. The Clairton facility processes coke inside "coke ovens," which are connected by common walls and operated as one unit, called a "coke battery." U.S. Steel Clairton currently operates six coke batteries, with a total of 455 ovens.
The process of producing coke involves heating raw metallurgical coal to approximately 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, for a minimum of 18 hours. The nearly pure carbon that remains in the oven is called "coke," which is often used as fuel in blast furnaces for iron and steel production. During the production process, gases, known collectively as "coke oven gas," are released and driven off into an off-gas piping system. Coke oven gas is highly flammable, toxic, and colorless with a sulfurous odor. After tar, ammonia, light oil, and elemental sulfur is removed, the remaining coke oven gas is a mixture of hydrogen, methane, nitrogen and carbon monoxide, which is used, in part, to burn as fuel to heat the coke ovens.
The August 11, 2025 fatal explosion occurred during a maintenance operation in which U.S. Steel employees and contractors from MPW Industrial Services (MPW) were attempting to fully close and reopen a double disc gate isolation valve in the piping that supplied coke oven gas to one of U.S. Steel's coke oven batteries, called Battery 13.
The CSB found that U.S. Steel maintained an operating procedure for "exercising" Battery 13's cast iron double gate isolation valve, as well as other valves at the facility. Exercising a valve included closing it and then reopening it, to ensure that the valve could successfully operate through its full range. U.S. Steel employees told the CSB that they occasionally had difficulty fully closing a valve when exercising it due to the coke oven residue that accumulated in the valve seat over time.
The CSB also found that U.S. Steel had a practice of injecting steam or high-pressure water into a valve's cleanout port when the valve would not close fully, in an attempt to remove residue. However, the company's exercising procedure did not mention the use of water, and the company had no formal procedure for washing valves with water. Nevertheless, despite the lack of a formal procedure for using water, U.S. Steel employees had utilized pressurized water to clean valves on an ad hoc basis for at least three years prior to the incident.
On the day of the incident, a U.S. Steel supervisor decided to exercise the Battery 13 isolation valve, to confirm that the valve operated correctly. The supervisor arranged for contractors from MPW, a company that provides industrial cleaning services, to use a pump truck to apply pressurized water to the valve. While applying pressurized water to the valve's seats, the workers closed or nearly fully closed the valve's double gates, which created an enclosed space between the two gates. The pressurized water filled this space inside the valve and caused the pressure inside the valve to increase beyond the valve's ability to contain it. The valve then failed catastrophically, releasing toxic flammable coke oven gas into the surrounding area. Within minutes, the released gas ignited and exploded.
The failed valve was made from cast iron and was over 70 years old. The valve was originally manufactured in 1953 and had been refurbished in 2013. Cast iron is widely recognized as a brittle material, and numerous safety publications either prohibit or warn against using cast iron equipment in certain hazardous applications, including for flammable substances like coke oven gas.
The explosion occurred in an area located between Batteries 13 and 14 called the "transfer area," where there were multiple buildings routinely occupied by employees. The buildings were located less than 20 feet directly above the coke oven gas piping that was the source of the release. None of those buildings were designed or constructed to withstand an explosion, and all of them were catastrophically damaged.
At the time of the explosion, the two fatally injured workers were each in or near separate control rooms directly above the coke oven gas piping, and two of the five seriously injured workers were inside a break room, also directly above the coke oven gas piping. One of the fatally injured employees was propelled by the force of the explosion and was found underneath rubble by emergency responders on the ground level adjacent to the coke batteries. The other fatally injured worker was buried in debris and was found by a search and rescue team roughly nine hours after the explosion.
Both of the workers in the break room at the time of the explosion were seriously injured by debris from the room's walls and ceiling. One of them suffered burns, broken ribs, broken vertebrae, and a broken tibia, The other suffered explosion shrapnel to his face, burns, and broken bones in his spine, ankle, lower legs, knees, and hands. One of these two workers freed himself from the rubble, crawled out of the debris, and found help. The other was trapped under debris and was unable to free himself. Emergency responders located him, alive, roughly four hours after the explosion.
Nine other people outside of those buildings were also injured, three of them seriously.
CSB Investigator in Charge Drew Sahli said, "When buildings are occupied by personnel, they must be adequately designed or located to protect the personnel or equipment from fires, explosions, or toxic releases. Had these buildings been located in a different area of the facility, away from coke batteries, this incident could have been far less severe."
The CSB identified three key safety issues that led to the severity of the incident: (1) procedures and hazard analysis, (2) facility siting, and (3) process safety management systems. As a result of its investigation, the CSB made a number of recommendations to U.S. Steel, Nippon Steel North America (NSNA), and MPW.
The CSB recommended that U.S. Steel conduct a siting evaluation for all occupied and potentially occupied buildings at the Clairton Coke Works and mitigate all facility siting hazards that are identified. The CSB also recommended that U.S. Steel develop a written procedure for washing valve seats with pressurized water to minimize the hazards of the operation and develop a comprehensive process safety management system for all coke oven gas processes at the Clairton facility.
Additionally, the CSB recommended that NSNA develop a corporate process safety governance program that will implement process safety management at its facilities, as well as conduct regular audits of facilities throughout the company's organization and promptly correct process safety deficiencies. The CSB recommended that MPW develop written policies and procedures for cleaning piping systems containing flammable or toxic gas and ensure that all workers involved in such operations are trained on the policies and procedures.
CSB Board Member Sylvia Johnson said, "This incident was the result of workers routinely performing a task incorrectly over a period of years until it ultimately led to a catastrophic explosion. Companies must outline procedures for any task that could potentially cause harm to workers and make sure that workers are fully trained on those procedures."
The CSB is an independent, nonregulatory federal agency charged with investigating incidents and hazards that result, or may result, in the catastrophic release of extremely hazardous substances. The agency's core mission activities include conducting incident investigations to identify root cause of releases; formulating preventive or mitigative recommendations based on investigation findings and advocating for their implementation; issuing reports containing the findings, conclusions, and recommendations arising from incident investigations; and conducting studies on chemical hazards.
The agency's board members are appointed by the President subject to Senate confirmation. The Board does not issue citations or fines but makes safety recommendations to companies, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA.
Please visit our website, www.csb.gov. For more information, contact Director of External Affairs Hillary Cohen at Hillary.Cohen@csb.gov.
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REPORT: https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/6/US_Steel_Clairton_Investigation_Report_Publication_Copy.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.csb.gov/us-chemical-safety-board-issues-final-report-on-august-2025-fatal-coke-oven-gas-explosion-at-us-steel-clairton-coke-works/
Trump Administration Announces $58M in Major New Critical Mineral Deals at White House Roundtable
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following news release:
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Trump Administration Announces $58M in Major New Critical Mineral Deals at White House Roundtable
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is announcing $58M in three major new rare earths deals designed to fortify U.S. supply chains and revitalize the critical industries that Americans depend on every day.
"Under President Trump's leadership, America is leading the way in critical minerals development and rare earths processing," said Chairman John Jovanovic.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following news release:
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Trump Administration Announces $58M in Major New Critical Mineral Deals at White House Roundtable
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is announcing $58M in three major new rare earths deals designed to fortify U.S. supply chains and revitalize the critical industries that Americans depend on every day.
"Under President Trump's leadership, America is leading the way in critical minerals development and rare earths processing," said Chairman John Jovanovic."Critical mineral security is national security. These deals are a large part of EXIM's strategy to fortify our supply chains, restore crucial industries that support well-paying American jobs, and safeguard everyday Americans from supply shocks."
EXIM is directing a $25M loan to Westwater Resources in Alabama for graphite, a versatile component of battery manufacturing. The Bank is also directing $25M to Global Advanced Metals in Pennsylvania for tantalum and niobium, critical minerals used in electronics, magnets, and steel production. Finally, EXIM is directing an $8M loan to 5E Advanced Materials, LLC in California for their 5E Boron Americas project. Boron is a key component of permanent magnets, semiconductors, and glass. The deals were announced at President Trump's Critical Minerals Roundtable earlier this afternoon.
ABOUT EXIM:
As the United States government's official export credit agency, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) supports American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports. As an independent agency, EXIM plays a critical role in supporting economic growth, securing critical supply chains, and ensuring American businesses are given a fighting chance. To achieve this mission, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans. Learn more at www.exim.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.exim.gov/news/trump-administration-announces-58m-major-new-critical-mineral-deals-white-house-roundtable
Social Security IG: Recovery Efforts for Deceased Beneficiaries' Overpayments
WOODLAWN, Maryland, Aug. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Social Security Administration Inspector General issued an audit report (No. 032406) on August 5, 2026, entitled "Recovery Efforts for Deceased Beneficiaries' Overpayments."
Here are excerpts:
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Objective
To determine whether Social Security Administration (SSA) employees followed policy for recovering overpayments made to Old-Age,
Survivors, and Disability Insurance beneficiaries who subsequently died with outstanding overpayment balances.
Background
When a beneficiary dies with an outstanding overpayment, SSA policy requires that employees
... Show Full Article
WOODLAWN, Maryland, Aug. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Social Security Administration Inspector General issued an audit report (No. 032406) on August 5, 2026, entitled "Recovery Efforts for Deceased Beneficiaries' Overpayments."
Here are excerpts:
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Objective
To determine whether Social Security Administration (SSA) employees followed policy for recovering overpayments made to Old-Age,
Survivors, and Disability Insurance beneficiaries who subsequently died with outstanding overpayment balances.
Background
When a beneficiary dies with an outstanding overpayment, SSA policy requires that employeespursue recovery using a specific priority adjustment, including the following.
* Withholding any underpayments due the deceased beneficiary.
* Withholding any lump-sum death payment payable on the same earnings record.
* Proposing benefit adjustments against contingently liable beneficiaries.
* Recovering from the deceased beneficiary's estate.
We identified 17,979 adult beneficiaries who died between December 2022 and December 2024 with approximately $240 million in outstanding overpayments. We reviewed a random sample of 125 deceased beneficiaries.
Results
Of the 125 beneficiaries we reviewed, SSA employees followed policy for recovering overpayments for 66 (53 percent). However, employees did not follow SSA's policies for recovering overpayments made to 59 (47 percent) beneficiaries who subsequently died. Specifically, SSA did not
* attempt recovery from 40 deceased beneficiaries' estates;
* process pending actions to attempt recovery from contingently liable individuals for 15 deceased beneficiaries' overpayments; or
* withhold lump-sum death payments from eligible survivors to offset 4 deceased beneficiaries' overpayments.
Based on our sample results, we estimate SSA could attempt recovery of outstanding overpayments totaling approximately $106 million that 8,486 deceased beneficiaries owed by applying its priority of overpayment adjustments.
Recommendations
We recommend SSA
Pursue recovery of the 10 deceased beneficiaries' overpayments from the contingently liable individuals identified in our review, as required by SSA policy and Implement controls to ensure employees follow policy to attempt recovery of deceased beneficiaries' overpayments from estates, contingently liable beneficiaries, and lump-sum death payments.
SSA agreed to implement our recommendations.
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The report is posted at: https://oig.ssa.gov/assets/uploads/032406.pdf
SBA Announces First-Ever Critical Suppliers Prize Competition to Strengthen U.S. Manufacturing and Supply Chains
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2026:
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SBA Announces First-Ever Critical Suppliers Prize Competition to Strengthen U.S. Manufacturing and Supply Chains
Competition Offers $20 Million in Capital to Small Businesses That Will Scale Domestic Production
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Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced its first-ever Critical Suppliers Prize Competition, a national contest to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and critical industry supply chains by expanding capacity at key chokepoints. The competition will award up to
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2026:
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SBA Announces First-Ever Critical Suppliers Prize Competition to Strengthen U.S. Manufacturing and Supply Chains
Competition Offers $20 Million in Capital to Small Businesses That Will Scale Domestic Production
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Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced its first-ever Critical Suppliers Prize Competition, a national contest to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and critical industry supply chains by expanding capacity at key chokepoints. The competition will award up to$20 million in non dilutive capital, including as many as six prizes with a maximum of $6 million each, to small businesses that demonstrate the capacity to rapidly scale domestic production through measurable, enduring supply chain solutions.
"For decades, bad policy hollowed out America's industrial base and shifted our reliance toward foreign producers and fragile overseas supply chains. Thanks to President Trump, those days are over," said Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "The Critical Suppliers Prize Competition will unleash promising solutions to supply chain vulnerabilities, bring capacity and jobs back home, and rebuild strategic sectors like advanced materials, metals, and energy production. By backing innovators to deliver at scale, the Trump SBA is targeting the critical industries that will anchor America's economic strength and national security for decades to come."
Contestants must have an aligned business strategy that provides tangible deliverables on one of the following critical industry supply chain priorities:
* Advanced Metals Manufacturing, including rapid tooling, precision casting and forging, heat treated components, strategic and critical minerals, and rare earth element recovery and magnet production.
* Advanced Materials Manufacturing, including large format additive manufacturing and materials transformation.
* Energy Systems, Energetics and Components, including nuclear energy, battery energy storage systems and standardization efforts.
Eligible competition contestants must meet the following criteria:
* Private entities or teams that meet SBA's definition of a small business.
* Individuals submitting responses to this opportunity, including individuals representing organizations partnering with the small business applicant, must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who are at least 18 years of age at the time of their submission of an entry.
* An individual cannot belong to more than one entry in this competition.
* Contestants must be current and in good standing on any federal obligations.
* Contestants must be in good standing in the jurisdiction of their state of organization.
* Contestants must be an entity organized in and maintaining a primary place of business in the U.S. and/or its territories.
* Contestants must be profitable and demonstrate creditworthiness.
* Contestants must demonstrate the ability to deploy funds rapidly (within six months) and demonstrate the ability to achieve measurable increases in production or ability to implement a solution to support efficiencies in production to deliver near-term supply chain impact.
* All members of the senior management team of a contestant must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and over the age of 18.
The SBA has committed to rebuilding American supply chains and domestic manufacturing through a series of targeted initiatives. This year, the agency waived loan fees for manufacturing NAICS codes, established the first-ever loan program dedicated to American manufacturers, and modernized the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program so more private capital flows into critical, supply chain sensitive industries. The agency also announced a new 90% Made in America Loan Guarantee for small manufacturers and continues to promote existing programs such as the asset-based 7(a) Working Capital Pilot (WCP) Program. Through its ongoing Supplier Matchmaking Expo series and its Make Onshoring Great Again Portal, the agency has also played an active role in helping large companies source small suppliers to onshore supply chains across industries.
Contestants must submit proposals electronically to investinnovate@sba.gov. Proposals may be in the form of a company pitch deck. More information can be found at https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/priorities/sba-initiatives/critical-suppliers-prize-competition/. The deadline for submission is Aug. 28 by 11:59 p.m. ET.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
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About SBA Office of Investment and Innovation
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Investment and Innovation (OII) leads programs to support U.S. growth-oriented small businesses and startups. These programs provide access to capital, assistance, and networks to support the success of innovation-driven small businesses. OII's work is bolstered by public-private partnerships that drive small business growth from idea to impact. To learn more, visit https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-locations/headquarters-offices/office-investment-innovation.
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Original text here: https://legacy.sba.gov/article/2026/08/06/sba-announces-first-ever-critical-suppliers-prize-competition-strengthen-us-manufacturing-supply
NTSB: Cellphone Use and Lack of Proper Lookout Leads to Fatal Vessel Collision in Texas
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The National Transportation Safety Board issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2026:
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Cellphone Use and Lack of Proper Lookout Leads to Fatal Vessel Collision in Texas
Distraction by personal electronic devices involved in at least 10 marine casualties between 2009 and 2024
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The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that distraction and failure to maintain a proper lookout caused a 2024 fatal collision between a bulk carrier and towing vessel near Lynchburg, Texas.
The bulk carrier Yangze 7 and the towing vessel Miss Peggy collided on July 19,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The National Transportation Safety Board issued the following news release on Aug. 6, 2026:
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Cellphone Use and Lack of Proper Lookout Leads to Fatal Vessel Collision in Texas
Distraction by personal electronic devices involved in at least 10 marine casualties between 2009 and 2024
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The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that distraction and failure to maintain a proper lookout caused a 2024 fatal collision between a bulk carrier and towing vessel near Lynchburg, Texas.
The bulk carrier Yangze 7 and the towing vessel Miss Peggy collided on July 19,2024, while both were inbound in the Houston Ship Channel. The Miss Peggy capsized and sank with five crewmembers on board. Four crewmembers, one of which sustained serious injuries, were recovered by a good Samaritan vessel and the fifth crewmember was later found deceased in the wreckage.
NTSB investigators found the pilot who was directing the movement of the Yangze 7 had been on a non-operational phone call with another pilot, who was directing the movement of another vessel, for 39 minutes before the collision, distracting him from his duties. The call ended two minutes and 16 seconds before the collision. This distraction resulted in the pilot being unaware of the presence of the Miss Peggy.
The NTSB issued two safety recommendations: one to the U.S. Coast Guard and one to the American Pilots' Association. The NTSB recommended the U.S. Coast Guard prohibit the nonoperational use of personal electronic devices by persons directing the movement of a vessel through the waterways under its jurisdiction. The NTSB also recommended the American Pilots' Association develop and implement guidance prohibiting nonoperational use of personal electronic devices by pilots actively directing the movement of a vessel and to encourage their member associations to adopt such guidance in their operational rules and policies.
The NTSB determined that distraction by personal electronic devices was either a contributing factor or the probable cause in at least 10 marine casualties between 2009 and 2024, killing three and injuring 45.
Both vessels also did not maintain a proper lookout while transiting. The captain of the Miss Peggy did not detect the Yangze 7 approaching from astern, and the bridge team of the Yangze 7 did not detect the Miss Peggy until the towboat was less than a ship's length ahead. Regulations and long-standing prudent maritime practice require a proper lookout, by all available means, for safe navigation.
Marine Investigation Report 26-24 (https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MIR2624.pdf) and the safety recommendations are available online.
To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).
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Original text here: https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NR20260806.aspx
EPA IG: Audit of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Payment Integrity Information Act Reporting for Fiscal Year 2025
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General issued the following report (No. 26-P-0045) entitled "Audit of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Payment Integrity Information Act Reporting for Fiscal Year 2025."
Here are excerpts:
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Why We Did This Report
Our objective for this audit was to determine whether the CSB is in compliance with the Payment Integrity Information Act, or PIIA, for its fiscal year 2025 reporting.
Summary of Findings
For FY 2025, the CSB was not required to comply with PIIA and applicable OMB improper payment
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- The Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General issued the following report (No. 26-P-0045) entitled "Audit of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board Payment Integrity Information Act Reporting for Fiscal Year 2025."
Here are excerpts:
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Why We Did This Report
Our objective for this audit was to determine whether the CSB is in compliance with the Payment Integrity Information Act, or PIIA, for its fiscal year 2025 reporting.
Summary of Findings
For FY 2025, the CSB was not required to comply with PIIA and applicable OMB improper paymentreporting requirements. While the CSB's outlays in FY 2025 totaled approximately $10.8 million, none of the CSB's nine programs met the threshold of $10 million to be subject to improper payment reporting requirements.
As a result, the CSB was not required to publish its payment integrity information in its FY 2025 Performance and Accountability Report or to perform risk assessments for those programs. Additionally, the CSB has implemented internal controls to identify and reduce improper payments.
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The report is posted at: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2026-08/_epaoig_20260804-26-p-0045_cert.pdf
