The Department Of Conservation And Recreation's Use Of American Recovery And Reinvestment Act Funds

This is a Massachusetts State Auditor report reviewing how the Department of Conservation and Recreation used federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money from July 1, 2009 through November 30, 2010.

“This audit of the Department of Conservation and Recreation covers the audit period July 1, 2009 through November 30, 2010.”

The Auditor reviewed DCR because the agency received ARRA funds, and the audit checked whether DCR monitored and spent that money properly.

“The objectives of our audit were to review DCR’s controls over monitoring and use of ARRA funds received and expended.”

The money was public federal recovery funding, so the audit mattered because it checked whether DCR had proper controls and spent the funds for their intended purposes.

“The objectives of our audit were to review DCR’s internal controls over monitoring of ARRA expenditures to determine whether these funds were expended for their intended purposes.”

For residents, the funds supported work tied to parks, forests, watersheds, tree planting, invasive species control, dock upgrades, and jobs.

“According to DCR officials ARRA spending created 72 new seasonal jobs and saved four full-time jobs.”

The Auditor did not find material weaknesses in the areas tested.

“Our tests in the above-mentioned areas disclosed no material weaknesses.”

Some grant-funded work was still ongoing after the audit period, including a tree-planting project where DCR was considering how to finish the work and possibly request more time.

“To date 3,000 trees out of the authorized 15,000 have been planted; therefore, the DCR is reviewing all of its options for the completion of this project, including the consideration of a request for an extension to June 30, 2012.”

DCR oversees a very large public park and natural-resource system, so proper use of these funds affected major public land and environmental programs in Massachusetts.

“The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA), is steward of one of the largest state park systems in the country, with 450,000 acres of forests, parks, greenways, historic sites and landscapes, seashores, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and watersheds.”

ARRA means the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, often called recovery or stimulus funding.

“In accordance with Chapter 11, Section 12, of the Massachusetts General Laws, we conducted a review of funds provided DCR (through EOEEA) from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 for the period July 1, 2009 through November 30, 2010.”