CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found Fires on vessels are among the most dangerous and challenging incidents to which firefighters can respond. Vessels may also carry hazardous cargo, like lithium-ion batteries, further complicating marine firefighting responses. According to U.S. Coast Guard data, there were 886 nearshore marine fires that occurred between 2015 and 2025. About one quarter (206) of these resulted in either death, injury, over $200,000 in damage, or a total loss of the vessel. The U.S. Coast Guard is the principal federal agency responsible for overseeing marine safety. For marine firefighting, the Coast Guard plays a coordinating role while land-based fire departments extinguish fires. Following.
CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
Coast Guard personnel who work near vacation destinations or in remote areas experience challenges accessing private sector housing. Implementing our prior recommendations can better position the military services to manage military housing and support service members and their families. The Big Picture Due to rising costs, Coast Guard service members, 40 percent of whom rotate to new duty stations annually, and their families find it increasingly difficult to access adequate housing. The Department of Defense (DOD) and the Coast Guard (within the Department of Homeland Security) rely on the private sector to house the majority of service members; other service members may reside in governm.
CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
Sexual misconduct in the U.S. Coast Guard is a longstanding problem. Implementing our recommendations can help the Coast Guard instill a culture intolerant of sexual misconduct and communicate progress to Congress and the public. The Big Picture Sexual misconduct has been a challenge within the U.S. Coast Guard for decades. For example, in a 2020 internal investigation called “Operation Fouled Anchor,” the Coast Guard examined more than 100 allegations of sexual assault from 1990 to 2006 at the Coast Guard Academy. The investigation concluded that the academy often mishandled these cases and failed to take sufficient action to ensure a safe environment for cadets. Sexual misconduct negative.
CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found As of September 2025, the Coast Guard reported about $448 million in environmental liabilities related to its shore infrastructure. This includes about $228 million for structures, like housing, presumed to be contaminated with asbestos-containing material or lead-based paint based on their age. It also includes about $220 million in cleanup projects at sites with a known or suspected release of contaminants. Several factors create uncertainty that could potentially lead to hundreds of millions of dollars of additional cleanup costs that the Coast Guard has not communicated to Congress. For example, the Coast Guard has identified properties which may be contaminated with “for.
CABI Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits
Homeland Security Department, Coast Guard | Rule | The Coast Guard will enforce multiple safety zones codified in federal regulations for recurring fireworks events taking place within the San Francisco Captain of the Port area of responsibility. This action is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from the hazards associated with the fireworks displays. During the enforcement period, unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or remaining in the regulated areas and must comply with directions from the Patrol Commander or any Official Patrol displaying a Coast Guard ensign.
CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Coast Guard leadership have made a case that the service needs transformation. Since 2019 GAO has reviewed four Coast Guard reform efforts and identified steps the service took to incorporate leading practices as well as gaps in key areas. For example, in prior reviews of Coast Guard sexual misconduct and modernization of mission planning and reserve component reform efforts, GAO found that the Coast Guard did not fully assess its workforce needs. Additionally, for two of the reform efforts, the Coast Guard did not fully establish goals and outcomes, making it difficult to determine if the reforms had the intended effects. Accordi.
USCG United States Coast Guard · Rulemaking rulemaking
The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation on the waters of the Ohio River from mile marker 90 to mile marker 91 in Wheeling, WV. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters from potential hazards during the Wheeling Water Ski Show for the activities planned on June 7, 2026. This rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the one-mile regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Pittsburgh or a designated representative.
