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Cleaning Up Hazardous Wastes: An Overview of Superfund Reauthorization Issues

RCED-85-69 Published: Mar 29, 1985. Publicly Released: Mar 29, 1985.
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Highlights

GAO reported on Superfund issues, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter Status Comments
Congress should consider the merits of changing the act's structure. This change would emphasize permanent, long-term remedies and entail: (1) assigning EPA a role in ensuring that a minimum level of protection from all sites is provided, including setting national standards as discussed in this report; and (2) allowing possible delegation of some authority to the states under EPA oversight. Congress should also require EPA to monitor state cleanup performance and report on the extent and adequacy of state actions. This would provide a database on which to evaluate the need for a greater federal role at non-NPL sites.
Closed – Implemented
The act was reauthorized on October 17, 1986. Although it mandated national cleanup standards for priority sites, it did not address the need for standards or federal oversight at nonpriority sites.

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Topics

Environmental legislationEnvironmental policiesHazardous substancesLand managementPollution controlSpecial fund accountsWaste managementHazardous waste sitesHazardous wastesGroundwater