&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Emergency
and Remedial Response
Washington DC 20460
$pr;~c 1986
WH/FS-86-002
The Superfund
Remedial Program
U.S. Environmental Protecti
ItiDrnrv. Rnnm o/rr/iin
-------
through ground water, surface water, and air or if they have the
potential to migrate. Sites with high enough scores are considered
for placement on EPA's National Priorities List (NPL). Sites on
the NPL present the most serious problems among hazardous waste
sites nationwide and are eligible for long-tenu remedial actions
through the Superfund program.
What Is the
State Pole in
Superfund?
States play an important role in the Superfund process. The
Superfund law requires that States be consulted in every Superfund
remedial response. Some States receive money from EPA for identify-
ing and managing Superfund sites through a formal Cooperative
Agreement. Further, States are always responsible for the long
term maintenance of a site once the response action is finished.
What Happens
During Remedial
Action?
Remedial actions have two main phases: Remedial investigation and
feasibility study, during which conditions at the site are studied",
the prDblem(s), if any are defined, and alternative methods to
clean up the site are evaluated. The entire process can take up
to two years to complete.
In the Remedial design an_d__actio_n stage, the recommended
cleanup is designed and undertaken. The design phase can take up
to one year. The time required to complete the remedy may vary
according i.o the complexity of the site.
During a remedial investigation, EPA or the State collects and
analyzes information to determine the nature and extent of
contamination at the site. Serial photographs may be taken of the
site and surrounding area to map the physical features of the land,
including rock formations and sources of water. A variety of
techniques are used to locate contaminated ground water and buried
drums or tanks that might contain hazardous substances.
Samples are taken from soils, drum.'., lagoons, rivers and ground
water, tier Analyze-.? by EPA-approved laboratories to determine i"
ha^ardo.. :.•.'••- r:;:*?s might be present and, if so, the type and
amount. EPA or Lht> Stu *> reviews and interprets results of the
la;x>ratory analysis.
Once the extent of c * :tami nation is known, the feasibility
study can begin. Daring the feasibility study, sp^ci':ic alternative
remedies are considered and evaluated by EPA and the public.
The recowvndi3d remedy may include:
• Removing hazardous materials from tho sit^ to an RPA or State
approved, licensed hazardous waste facility for treat'vnt, containment,,!
or destruction.
• Containing the waste on-site so that it can safely remain there
and present no further problem.
• Destroying or treating the waste on-sit-? through incineration
or oth^r innovative technologies.
-------
1
• Identifying and re-roving the source of ground water contamination,
and halting further spread of the contaminants.
Or, instead, the recommended remedy could be to move people away
from the site or provide an alternate source of drinking water for
area residents. During the remedial design and action phases, the
cleanup alternative chosen is constructed or installed. Design and
construction activities are conducted under the supervision of EPA
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or the State can manage all
site activities on its own.
How is the Best-
Cleanup Alternative
Chosen?
EPA must take into account certain requirements specified in the
Natipnal__Co_nt,i_ngency_ Plan (NCP), the Federal regulation that
guides the" Superfund program, for evaluating alternative remedial
actions at hazardous waste sites. For each alternative, the
following questions must be answered:
• How effective and reliable will a particular remedy be in
protecting public health, welfare, and the environment?
• Is the remedy technically feasible, considering the location
and conditions at the site?
• What, if. any, effects might the remedy have on the surrounding
environment?
• How nuch will the remedy cost, including costs of construction
and operation and maintenance?
The NCP requires EPA to select an alternative that is
cost effective. This requirement does not mean that EPA must choose
the~least expensive alternative. It means that if there are several
cleanup alternatives available to deal, effectively with the problem
at a site, EPA must choose the remedy that is most cost-effective,
considering cost, reliability, and permanence.
Can EPA Make
Those Responsible
Pay?
EPA always makes a thorough effort to identify and locate those
responsible for causing contamination problems at the site
("pote_nt_iany responsible parties"). Although EPA is willing to
negotiate with private parties and encourages voluntary cleanup,
it has the authority under the Superfund law to legally force
tbos-..* responsible t-. take specified cleanup actions. All work
perform.?!; by tlv.wr responsible is closely guided and supervised by
EPA and nj'-it "i--jl: tvvi sa;ne standards required for actions financed
through S'.irvrrfand.
•V?'j-.-iev' •>:.'.) :>ti^r ions can take a lot of tim*, EPA may decide
to use ?u;>?rf jivl "rnies promptly to clean up f>. site. For example,
if a sit<> nrt;:io,-its an immediate threat to public health and the
environment, or if con-litions at a site worsen while negotiations
are being con<-;u;t-H, it may be necessary to start the cleanup
inrnediately. Thoso responsible =ire liable under the law for the
roney F,V\ spends in cleaning up the site, and EPA will attempt to
recover thos^ costs through legal actions after the cleanup has
been completed.
-------
Can Local Citizens
Get Involved in
Superfund Cleanups?
To ensure that the local public is involved in Superfund act-ions,
EPA has established a ccrinunity relations program. The program is
designed to inform local officials and residents about conditions
and developments at Superfund sites and to make sure that the
concerns of the community are communicated to EPA and State
officials. For each Superfund site where action takes longer than
45 days, EPA or the State prepares a community relations plan that
is tailored to the needs of the community near the site. The plan
describes the activities that will be conducted to encourage citizen
input and inform the community of progress at the site. Corrnunity
relations activities may include holding periodic informal meetings
of small groups of interested citizens and government staff, or
larger public forums that include a presentation about activities
at the site and a guestion and answer period. Information can also
be provided through the distribution of fact sheets such as these
and technical summaries. Two-way cormunication is essential throughout
the process.
For further information on the Superfund Program,
call toll free 1-800-424-9346
------- |