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Special Report: Department of Environment and Natural Resources Wetland Mitigation Credit Determinations
(December 2009)
This special report responds to the controversy surrounding the certification and purchase of wetland and nutrient offset credits certified by the Division of Water Quality. Specifically, the report focuses on mitigation credits generated by the same 46 acres of wetlands. Controversy arose when the credits were sold twice, resulting in $698,372 spent by the state that did not purchase any additional mitigation value. Despite subsequent action taken by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to avoid the problem in future transactions, the agency’s decisions related to this controversy resulted in actual and potential future losses to the environmental integrity of the Neuse River basin and comprise a net loss to North Carolina’s environment.
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Executive Summary
Final Report
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Eliminating the Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Backlog Will Require at Least $549 Million
(November 2009)
The General Assembly established the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program within the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 1985 in response to a federal mandate to regulate USTs. Since the UST Program’s inception, North Carolina has spent more than $543.7 million to clean up UST incidents. Even so, a significant cleanup backlog still remains and North Carolina’s financial liability continues to grow. The evaluation discusses how North Carolina can reduce the backlog and limit future financial liabilities by introducing a risk-based system of financial responsibility for commercial tank owners and requiring greater financial responsibility from noncommercial tank owners. |
Executive Summary
Final Report
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Accountability Gaps Limit State Oversight of $694 Million in Grants to Non-Profit Organizations
(November 2009)
State agencies granted $694 million to non-profits in Fiscal Year 2007-08. Despite administrative rules and statutes intended to assure funds are spent as intended by the state, gaps in accountability persist. Statewide reporting requirements do not require sufficient documentation, do not adequately address program performance outcomes, fail to produce timely reporting, and lack sufficient enforcement. Contracts often fail to set performance expectations and inconsistent grant monitoring at the agency level results in a lack of accountability statewide. Recommendations address contracting, agency oversight, and reporting; awarding competitive grants rather than earmarks; implementing electronic payment controls; and funding oversight through a discretionary 2% withholding of grant funds.
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Executive Summary
Final Report
Presentation
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Enhanced Services Package Implementation: Costs,
Administrative Decision Making, and Agency Leadership
(July 2009)
This follow-up to the Division’s July 2008 report, Compromised Controls and Pace of Change Hampered Implementation of Enhanced Mental Health Services, examines expenditures, decision-making, and leadership associated with implementation of the Enhanced Services Package. Findings indicated a total of $2.4 billion was spent on enhanced services from April 2006 through February 2009, $827.2 million of which was North Carolina’s share of the costs. Analyses suggest effective planning and better oversight could have avoided costs of $498.5 to $635.3 million, of which $177.4 to $226.2 million would have been North Carolina’s share of the avoided costs. |
Executive Summary
Final Report
Presentation
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North Carolina's Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Funding Lacks Strategic Focus and Coordination
(January 2009)
Funding for water and wastewater infrastructure in North Carolina is provided by six state funding entities, each with its own mission, goals, and objectives. Without an effective oversight agency or comprehensive strategic plan in place to coordinate activities, water and wastewater funding is provided in a complex and fragmented manner. The General Assembly should direct the State Water Infrastructure Commission (SWIC) to develop a statewide strategic plan and needs assessment for water and wastewater infrastructure funding and require better oversight of water and wastewater funding by either authorizing SWIC to coordinate and oversee the system or by establishing a single water and wastewater authority.
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Executive Summary
Final Report
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A Study of Structure and Organization of the State Board of Education, State Superintendent of Instruction and Department of Public Instruction
Submitted by Evergreen Solutions, LLC
(January 2009)
The Appropriations Act of 2008 directed the Program Evaluation Division to study the State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction. Evergreen Solutions performed the study under contract to the Legislative Services Commission. Major findings are: 1) the diffused leadership of public education has created a dysfunctional and confusing system of governance; 2) the State Board lacks appropriate information to facilitate decision making, oversight, accountability and policy making for public education. A dashboard is needed to monitor success; and 3) the Department of Public Instruction needs additional restructuring and improved operational efficiency. Recommendations address each of the major findings. |
Executive Summary
Final Report
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Project Management Lapses and Planning Failures Delayed Court Technology Improvements
(December 2008)
The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) has six information technology projects under development with total expenditures of over $18 million. Management shortcomings have delayed projects, frustrating court personnel and other stakeholders in need of the technology. The evaluation recommends greater involvement of the Judicial Council to set priorities for technology projects and to involve users in project development. The AOC should report bi-annually to the General Assembly’s Information Oversight Committee and consult with the State Office of Information Technology Services on future projects.
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Executive Summary
Final Report
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Doubtful Return on the Public's $141 Million Investment in Poorly Managed Vehicle Inspection Programs
(December 2008)
Vehicles registered in North Carolina are subject to two types of inspections: safety inspections examine various mechanical systems and emissions inspections ensure proper functioning of pollution controls. North Carolinians spend $141 million annually on inspections. No evidence exists showing the safety inspection program is effective, it is not possible to determine how much vehicle emissions inspections contribute to the improvement of overall air quality, and program oversight by the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is inadequate. The General Assembly should reevaluate the need for a safety inspection program, consider exempting vehicles from the three newest model years from safety and emissions inspections, and require DMV to manage the programs to ensure results. |
Executive Summary
Final Report
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North Carolina's Alcohol Beverage Control System Is Outdated and Needs Modernization
(December 2008)
North Carolina’s Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) system is outdated because it has not kept pace with demographic and economic changes, and state statutes limit effective management of the system. The mission of local ABC boards is not clearly defined, and some boards use the lack of a clear mission to justify ineffective and inefficient store operations. North Carolina also regulates the sale of liquor differently than other states. The current ABC system can be modernized by defining the mission of local boards, providing management tools for better oversight of local boards, and modifying outdated statutes. |
Executive Summary
Final Report
Presentation
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Controlling the Cost of Medicaid Private Duty Nursing Services
(December 2008)
The North Carolina Medicaid Program covers private duty nursing—medically necessary continuous, complex, and substantial nursing services provided by a licensed nurse in a recipient’s home. Under federal law, private duty nursing is an optional Medicaid service for adults and a required Medicaid service for children. The Division of Medical Assistance should adopt the cost-containment mechanisms used by other states for its private duty nursing benefit for adults. The Division of Medical Assistance should modify the Community Alternatives Program for Children, which is subject to budget limits, to encourage use of the waiver program by children in need of continuous skilled nursing. |
Executive Summary
Final Report
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Caring for Previously Hospitalized Consumers: Progress and Challenges in Mental Health System Reform
(December 2008)
Building on the July 2008 Program Evaluation Division process evaluation, this report examines services delivered by the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services after system reform. Analyses of services received by 22,516 individuals previously hospitalized in substance abuse or psychiatric facilities suggest that gaps in community-based services persist among those discharged from state-operated facilities, and among individuals with a history of one, versus multiple, hospital discharge. Individualized tracking across facilities, service types, and funding sources is needed to improve continuity of care and to generate comprehensive statewide data. System oversight and management should focus on increasing capacity and quality of community-based services.
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Executive Summary
Final Report
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