Speeding the Pace of Cleanup of Hazardous Waste Sites

• In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), better known as the Superfund Act. This law gives the federal government the authority to respond to chemical emergencies and to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites both on private and public lands.
• The Superfund Act program addresses both short- and long-term risks, from toxic chemical spills and threats to the permanent cleanup and rehabilitation of abandoned hazardous waste sites.
• The Superfund also provides authority for the prosecution of those responsible for the releases of hazardous waste and a trust fund to subsidize cleanup when no responsible party can be identified.
• With the expiration of the Superfund tax, EPA must rely on annual appropriations to fund cleanups. These appropriations have been declining and the pace of cleanups has slowed.
• Further, citing competing priorities and lack of funds, EPA has not implemented a 1980 statutory mandate under Superfund to require businesses handling hazardous substances to demonstrate their ability to pay for potential environmental cleanups—that is, to provide financial assurances.
• Because of this inaction, EPA has exposed the Superfund program and U.S. taxpayers to potentially enormous cleanup costs at gold, lead, and other mining sites and at other industrial operations.
• Finally, EPA’s leaking underground storage tank cleanup program has been limited by relatively small annual appropriations from the trust fund established to support the program and finance cleanups.

Figure 4: Valley of the Barrels Superfund Site and National Map of All Superfund Sites

Source: EPA and Center for Public Integrity

^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done

• EPA should ensure that financial assurances are in place for sites that manufacture or use toxic chemicals.

  Highlights of GAO-06-900T (PDF)

• EPA should expeditiously complete scientific assessments of emerging chemical contaminates like perchlorate, as well as set cleanup and drinking water standards to ensure cleanup of contaminated federal and private property.

  Highlights of GAO-07-797T (PDF)

• EPA should improve the institutional controls at contaminated sites to ensure better protection of the public from inappropriate use.

  Highlights of GAO-05-658 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-06-900T (PDF)

• EPA should ensure the owners of underground storage tanks maintain access to adequate financial resources for cleaning up leaks and that state insurance funds provide reliable coverage for cleaning up leaking tanks.

  Highlights of GAO-07-152 (PDF)

^ Back to topKey Reports

Superfund

Aboveground Oil Storage Tanks

Hazardous Waste

Hazardous Materials

More Reports