In government planning, there are such things as yearly office progress targets, and then there's the U.S. EPA inspector general's fiscal 2013 annual plan.

The plan Inspector General Arthur Elkins released yesterday afternoon lays out exactly what he expects to provide the government -- down to the dollar and the criminal conviction -- in return for the government's investment in his office.

For example, Elkins expects the agency will identify 903 environmental or business recommendations or specific risks for corrective action in fiscal 2013. The goal is for 334 specific actions to be taken to improve performance at EPA and reduce risk.

As for criminal convictions, indictments, civil judgments or other administrative actions as a result of the IG's work? Elkins' target is 85.

Those numbers depend on the IG's office receiving the $59.137 million in funding -- including money for Superfund and Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board efforts -- that President Obama requested for the office in his budget proposal. So far this fiscal year, the office has been operating below that level due to a continuing resolution funding the government through March.

But if Elkins can get the funds Obama requested, he expects to generate a 120 percent return on the government's investment through savings and various improvements his office can create.

The Government Performance and Results Act requires all federal agencies to develop annual performance plans that lay out specific performance goals each year.

Elkins' plan also identifies the top management challenges the agency faces and lays out ways his office is helping to fix those problems. They include the rising tide of cyberattacks at the agency and EPA's ongoing workforce management problems. In recent years, the IG's office has found numerous examples of EPA staff members being assigned to certain projects without thought as to whether they have the proper skills to do the job.

Along with listing recurring projects and assignments carried over from last year, Elkins' annual plan details new assignments his office expects to begin in fiscal 2013.

Some of those projects are expected to be high profile. Late last month, Elkins' office announced it was launching a probe of outgoing Administrator Lisa Jackson's use of an alternate email account that allowed her to conduct official agency business under the alias Richard Windsor. The revelation of Jackson's alias email account has raised concern among congressional committees and outside good governance groups.

Other reviews scheduled for 2013 that will be closely followed outside the agency are a look into the agency's internal controls over the controversial renewable fuel credits program, an evaluation of EPA's research on human subjects, and an ongoing review of the agency's ability to safeguard the nation's water supply in the event of an attack or natural disaster.

The inspector general is also planning investigations on human exposure from lead smelters after a USA Today series exposed several cases of contamination near closed facilities that EPA has failed to address. It will also look into methane emissions from leaking pipes -- a longtime concern at the agency -- as well as air emissions from flaring operations that are common at refineries.

Other planned reviews seem likely to be more mundane. Elkins' plan notes that his office intends to look into how agency employees dispose of used and excess computers and to study control mechanisms when it comes to EPA employee travel.

Click here to read the fiscal 2013 annual plan.

Reporter Jeremy P. Jacobs contributed.