What is a 5 year statutory review?
The purpose of the Five-Year Review generally is to determine whether the remedy at a site is/remains protective of human health and the environment and to evaluate the implementation and performance of the selected remedy.
Is CERCLA successful?
Over the past three decades, CERCLA has successfully cleaned and restored close to 400 contaminated sites once listed on its national priorities list (NPL), including the infamous Love Canal site. In 2017, then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt established the Superfund Task Force.
Why did the federal government pass CERCLA?
Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or commonly known as Superfund) in response to a growing national concern about the release of hazardous substances from abandoned waste sites.
What is the biggest problem with CERCLA?
A lack of federal funding combined with the cost of cleanup remains a large factor in CERCLA’s less than rapid progress on cleaning its listed sites. The Superfund is notably underfunded: the program saw its budget nearly cut in half between 1999 and 2013.
Is CERCLA still enforced?
The EPA enforces CERCLA through the Superfund Enforcement program. This program allows three options for the EPA to enforce the law if responsible owners and operators of a site are found and can pay for cleanup costs: administrative and judicial orders, voluntary settlement agreements and cost-recovery actions.
What was the impact of CERCLA?
CERCLA created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries and authorized U.S. EPA to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that might endanger public health or the environment. This tax money was used to create a “Superfund” to pay for cleanup actions.
How is CERCLA enforced?
The EPA enforces CERCLA through the Superfund Enforcement program. The EPA can, along with the U.S. Department of Justice, take the responsible parties to court. In addition to litigation, responsible parties can face additional penalties or fines.
Why is CERCLA important?
CERCLA gives the federal government the power to tax chemical and petroleum companies found responsible for releasing hazardous waste into unregulated areas. CERCLA permits federal authorities to act swiftly when a qualifying spill occurs, allowing them to manage short-term removals and long-term responses.