Federal Facilities: Issues Involved in Cleaning Up Hazardous Waste

GAO discussed federal efforts to clean up hazardous waste at government sites. GAO noted that: (1) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated less than 40 percent of the 1,599 Superfund cleanup sites because of inadequate assessments, EPA unpreparedness, lack of guidance, difficulties in negotiations over interagency agreements, technical and funding disagreements, and a burdensome review process; (2) federal agencies have made less progress than nonfederal agencies; (3) the Department of Defense's and the Department of Energy's Superfund cleanup estimates total approximately $200 billion; (4) site identification, contamination assessments, greater cleanup efforts for some sites, and a lack of cost-saving technologies increase Superfund cleanup costs; (5) federal agencies require better information and prioritization of funding; and (6) EPA oversight and enforcement capacity is inadequate.