GAO Report 2003 so

GAO 2003 Report
U.S. General Accounting Office
Performance and Accountability Series - 2003
Major Management Challenges and Program Risks

Why GAO Did This Report:

In the 2001 performance and accountability report on the Department of the Interior (Interior), GAO identified important challenges facing the department in its management of ecosystem restoration efforts, Indian tribes, national parks, and land exchanges. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help sustain congressional attention and a departmental focus on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges - and others that have arisen since 2001 - and ultimately overcome them. This report is part of a special series of reports on government wide and agency-specific issues.

What Remains To Be Done

GAO believes that Interior should:

1.) continue it's efforts of adopting joint strategies with other entities to address excess forest fuels

2.) link critical strategic goals to interim goals in restoring the South Florida ecosystem,

3.) continue to reform Indian trust fund management and tribal recognition process, and

4.) continue to devote attention to reducing a deferred maintenance backlog and improving financial reporting.