The Department prepared the Fiscal Year 1998 Accountability Report to combine critical financial and program performance information in a single report. The Department's consolidated financial statements and the related audit reports are included as major components of the Accountability Report. The Office of Inspector General audited the Department's consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended September 30, 1998 and 1997. In the opinion of the Office of Inspector General, except for the environmental liabilities lines items in Fiscal year 1998, these financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Department as of September 30, 1998 and 1997, and its consolidated net cost, changes in net position, budgetary resources, financing activities, and custodial activities for the years then ended in conformity with Federal accounting standards. In accordance with Government Auditing Standards, the Office of Inspector General issued a separate report on the Department internal controls. This report discusses needed improvements to the environmental liabilities estimating process and the reporting of performance measure information.