Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Properly Disbursed Funds but Was Slow in Expending Fishery Disaster Assistance Funds
Audit · Department of Commerce OIG · 2025-01-22 · about Department of Commerce
Report
Title
Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Properly Disbursed Funds but Was Slow in Expending Fishery Disaster Assistance Funds
Submitting OIG
Department of Commerce OIG
Component agency
Department of Commerce
Type
Audit
Publication date
2025-01-22
Summary
We audited the Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PRDNER’s) use of Federal Emergency and Pandemic Relief Financial Assistance Funds. Our audit objective was to determine whether federal funds received by PRDNER to support its fisheries in recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic1 and damages caused by several hurricanes were properly disbursed and used for their intended purpose. We conducted this audit in response to a congressional request, and answers to congressional questions about disaster relief funds are included in this report.
Recommendations (1)
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Status
Text
1.
Closed
1. We recommend that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator direct NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Services Assistant Administrator to document all project monitoring activities in the official grant files in…