Top EPA pollution official target of Inspector General for conflicts of interests

The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General Administrative Investigations Directorate released a report that cited one of the agency's top officials for having potential conflicts of interests concerning his role there. 

The office investigated EPA official Joseph Goffman, who was an assistant administrator of the Office of Air and Radiation.

"Our investigation also found that Goffman held financial interests in the MCM and Commercial sterilization rulemakings and failed to meet his ethical obligations under the federal financial conflicts-of-interest prohibition when he participated in both rulemakings," the report reads. 

The agency's Office of Inspector General first opened this investigation in February of 2023. 

The investigation concerned whether or not Goffman's Miscellaneous Coating Manufacturing rulemaking was based on his personal finance holdings. The report came back inconclusive as to whether or not he met ethical obligations about financial conflicts of interest. 

"Finally, our investigation did not substantiate that Goffman failed to meet his ethical obligations under the federal financial conflicts-of-interest prohibition when he participated in preparations for a 'Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act Roundtable,'" the report concludes. 

The report does not establish a factual finding of wrongdoing by Goffman and does not detail whether administrative sanctions or actions would be forthcoming. 

Goffman could not be reached for comment.