United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency
Response
Publication 9200.0-15FS
November 1993
AEPA Superfund Administrative
Improvements:
Reinventing Superfund
Superfund Revitalization Office
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
The Superfund Administrative Improvements initiatives are a comprehensive package of administra-
tive changes designed to make significant improvements to the Superfund program prior to Superfund reau-
thurization. Announced in June 1993, these initiatives have had an immediate impact on improving the pace,
cost and fairness of Superfund. This fact sheet describes the themes, background and each initiative of the
Administrative Improvements effort. This fact sheet also describes major activities which have been completed
during the first three months of implementation, as well as those that are currently underway and planned to
be completed over the next 12 months.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPROVEMENT THEMES
Enhance Enforcement Fairness and Reduce Transaction Costs
Enhance Cleanup Effectiveness and Consistency
Enhance Meaningful Public Involvement
Enhance States' Role
Continue Ongoing Management and Enforcement Initiatives
OVERVIEW
In April of 1993; the Administrator saw an opportu-
nity to evaluate the Superfund program and build on
the first 12 years of program experience. The Admin-
istrative Improvements Task Force was established
to examine options for making administrative
changes that could improve Superfund. This Task
Force operates under the direction of the Superfund
Steering Committee, chaired by EPA's Deputy Ad-
ministrator. The Task Force developed a series of rec-
ommendations for administrative improvements to
the program' which could be accomplished without
statutory or regulatory amendments.
On June 23,1993, the Administrator announced a
series of nine new initiatives and reemphasized eight
ongoing initiatives that would enhance enforcement
fairness and reduce transaction costs, accHerate the
pace of cleanups, increase public involvement and
enhance the role of the States in Superfund These ini-
tiatives are fully described in the Superfund Attmin&-
tratrve Improvements Final Report.
Currently all ten Regions and all Headquarter)
Superfund offices are engaged in the implementation
of Administrative Improvements initiative*.
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ENHANCE ENFORCEMENTFAIRNESS AND REDUCE TRANSACTION COSTS
Initiative ll
Greater Use of Allocation Tools
• Identified 11 sites for demonstration of A DR and
initiated the first three demonstration sites
• Identifying additional ADR demonstration sites
and will initiate at least 20 demonstration sites
• Will identify and begin the use of binding allo-
cation at approximately three pilot sites
' Contact: David Batson (202) 260-3173
Initiative 2l
Foster More Settlements with Small Volume Waste
Contributors
• Completed 43 de minimis settlements at 30 sites
with over 1,500 responsible parties in FY93
• Issued guidance on streamlining de minimis
settlements and guidance on "de micromis"
settlements
• Issued communications strategy for assisting de
minimis and "de micromis" parties
• Identified candidate sites for at least 38 addi-
tional de minimis. including "de micromis,"
settlements for FY94 using the new criteria, and
are continuing to identify additional sites
• Will complete at least 35 de minimis, including
'de micromis," settlements using the new crite-
ria in FY94
Contacts: Gary Worthinan (703) 603-8951
Patterson (202) 260-3091
Initiative 3t
Greater Fairness for Owners of Superfund Sites
• Issued Supplemental Federal Lien guidance
• Will determine if EPA should clarify the
requirements of "all appropriate inquiry" under
CERCLA, and clarify the requirements, if appro-
priate
• Will issue supplemental prospective purchaser
and a modeJrprospecrwe,,puj;cbaser
Contacts: Gary Worthman (703) 603-8951
Ken Patterson (202)260-3091
Initiative 4?
Evaluate Mixed Funding Policy
• Identified candidates and selected pilot sites for
evaluating the use of mixed handing
• Evaluated the mixed funding options and the
potential cost of mixed funding
• Explored options for stt'eamtrmng
preauthorization procedures and requirements
• Will initiate mixed funding pilot sites and evalu-
ate results
• Based on the pilot results, will recommend-mea-
sures to streamline preauthorization procedures
and determine whether to revise the mixed
funding policy
Contact: Gary Worthman (703) 603-8951
Related Documents
De Minimis guidance. OSWER Directive 9834.7-1 D, July 30,1993
"De Micromis" guidance, OSWER Directive 9834.17, July 30, 1993
Federal Lien guidance. OSWER Directive 9832.12-la, July 29, 1993
Mixed Funding Evjluatiun Report: The Potential Costs of Orphan Shares," OSVVF.R, Sept. 1993
LEGEND
• = item complete
• = under development
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ENHANCE STATE ROLE
Initiative 9:
"State Deferral" of Certain Site Categories
• Initiated State deferral pilots at 5 sites
!»'• Monitoring pilots and addressing key implementation questions
* Considering up to 50 additional pilots in 7 states
• VVill issue interim guidance on State deferral
Contact: Murray Nai'ton <7ltf) 603-8795
CONTINUING INITIATIVES
Over the past several years, EPA has implemented a
series of reforms to improve aspects of the Superfund
program. These reforms, listed below, have had a
significant impact on Superfund and are important
to the overall goals of the program. These ongoing
initiatives were included with the new Admmistra-
ive Improvements to recognize their.continued vi-
ta I itv.
10
11
Full Implementation of the Superfund Accel-
erated Cleanup Model (SA'CM)
National Priorities List (NPl.) Construction
Completions
12 Effective Contracts Management
13 Enforcement First
14 Accelerated Cleanup at Base Closures
15 Promote Use of Innovative Technology
Compliance Monitoting
1 / Improve the Effectiveness of Cost Recovery
Major Accomplishments:
• Full implementation of SACM ,
• Completed construction at a total of 217 NPL
sites by the end of FY93
• Issued remedial Independent Government Cost
Estimation guidance
• Identified 16 bases for accelerated cleanup dem-
onstration projects
• Concluded agreements with DoD and DoE on
use of innovative technology at two site*.
• Developed Cost Recovery Targeting Report th.it
presents the recoverable past costs, efforts, to n--
cover past costs, and the statute of limitations tor
each site
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ENHANCE CLEANUP EFFECTIVENESS AND CONSISTENCY
Initiative 5'.
Streamline and Expedite the Cleanup Process
• Issued presumptive remedy guidance tor munici-
pal landfills and sites with volatile organic com-
pounds in soils, and identified 7 sites for use of
the presumptive remedies
• Completed study of pervasiveness of dense non-
aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) at N'PL sites
• Issued new technical and enforcement guidance
tor addressing DN APLsat Superfund and RCRA
sites
• Identifying additional sites for use of presump-
tive remedies
• Preparing land use policy
• Will issue additional presumptive remedy guid-
ance on groundwater pump and treat,
woodtreater, PCB, coal gasification and grain .
storage sites, and initiate additional demonstra-
tion sites
• Will develop standardized remedial design .speci-
fications
LvuMrf: Bffsv Shaw (703) 603-9034
Initiative 6:
Develop Soil Screening Levels
• Developed and issued draft soil screening lev els
for 30 common contaminants (screening!level.c > to
be used on a pilot basis only)
• Will develop soil screening levels for 60 ad di-
tional compounds
• Will test the use of the soil screening fevels at pil ot
sites
Contact:
Bruce Means (703) 603-8848
Related
General presumptive remedies, OSWER Directive
9355.0-47F5, Sept. 1993
Presumptive remedies: municipal landfills, OSWER Direc-
tive 9355.0-49F5, Sept. 1993-"
Presumptive remedies: VOCs in soils, OSWER Directive
9355. 0-4SFS, Sept. 1993
Pervasiveness of DNAPLs at NPL sites, OSWER Directive
9355.4-13, Sept. 1.993
"Guidance for Evaluating the Technical Impracticability of
Ground-Water Restoration," OSWER Directive 9234 2 25
"Draft Soil Screening Levels Guidance," Quick Roferenci1
Factsheet, OSWER Sept. 1993
ENHANCE MEANINGFUL PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Initiative 7l
Implement an Environmental Justice Strategy
• Analyzed the impact of 158 NfPL sites on mmor-
ity and disadvantaged communities
• Issued simplified Technical Assistance Grant
application materials
• Identified 21 Regional demonstration projects for
environmental justice action
• Conducted Superfund Training Institute for
teachers
• Conducting an in-depth analysisof environmen-
tal justice case-studies
• Will initiate and evaluate Regional demonstra-
tion projects
• Will develop and issue an environmental justice
strategy for future Superfund sites
• Will publish Technical Assistance Grant materi-
als in other languages
Ci'iifiii-f: Marsha Liniisey (202) 260-bb26
Initiative 8t
Early and More Effective Community Involvement
• Identified 16 sites to demonstrate innovative
community involvement techniques
• Establishing site-specific Citizen Advisorv
Boards at several Department of Energy
Superfund sites and will establish Citizen Advi-
sory Boards at some Departmentof Defense site-,
• Will prepare and implement a new Supvrtund
public participation pfan
Contact: Bonnie Chiles (703) 603-8868
Related Dpcumeht
Preliminary Analysis of Population Demographies
August 1993
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