U.S. Official Says More Oversight Needed In Collaborative Border Program With Mexico

摘要

The Border 2012 collaborative program between the United States and Mexico suffers from a lack of accountability and oversight, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Inspector General. "Border 2012 does not have a formal process to independently verify results or to review supporting documentation for individual project accomplishments," said the evaluation report, which was released Sept. 3. The 10-year program was launched in 2003 as the successor to the "Border XXI Program." Both programs are products of the 1983 Agreement Between Mexico and the United States on Cooperation for the Protection and Improvement of the Environment in the Border Area, also known as the La Paz Agreement. Border 2012 projects are initiated through grants. An EPA project officer reviews final reports to determine whether the agency's grant requirements have been met, the report stated.