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Summtriau
Environmental
Fact Sheet
The Superfund Enforcement
Process: How It Works
INTRODUCTION
IB 1980. Coojrcsj pMMd the
(CERCLAX
vtdesitaeUJL Envte
EDVIIOD*
UsbUhy Aa
oDed Supniftiiid. IMS lew pro*
(EPA)
wiib AM mbority 0d occcnuy tools B mpood dliBCily or
10 t
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SUPERFUND REMEDIAUENFORCEMENT PROCESS
Bandar-
HRSaaomoflUoratovei
Lta aiBBldial bweetigBBYon (RI) IS Conducted 10 >CTCtl ihe
feacibaiiy study (PS) is «hcn praaaed to eunuoe and en' late
ate that pine a threat to (noun berth or welfare or the environ-
ment. mty be Bken it any point in d» i
TbeSupBtetf
Following a public oaanemperiodaa EPA'i pnfened iliau-
ovend the dnftFSnpan.EPAchoaHia9K^fienrae4ial plan
ia ntacdon in dw Rwod of D«irioa (ROD).
(PA/SI). Thfcon«Bu>ifcondBaodbyd»S«aB.
(RD)(wbk>
^
UMUaomrinhaw
Rm. EPA aoempo to identify PRP* n earty to d» Soper-
Iprooeaaspocaihk. Once kfcndfled. EPA wffl notify
of Hiituut PRPi UB dlicc&Bd 0 pcnoni
val or ICDC*
-•- M^^^AM A*T aiik^M ^^^^^>ni«f UWniJUeM* AMV •BMaMM
t&ejc piraci of mcr pmBnnii uiininy ror iu|iw
when the site u scheduled for some actJoo, Second, to me
coiom of identifying response wodt» be done, EPA win
encourage PRPi 0doitaB wodtaiaattB,
Third, If EPA bettevaa mi^KPb wOlmg and eapatakof
domgtewonXEPAvfflanemptooegaa^aBaneBfoice-
-- . Theenfercementagree-
(socnasa
«k minfamiive aider. EPA basteopdon of filing a tow suit
Pitt. lfPRPldOBDlpertbmithBre«pome action and EPA
^f^t^mm IQB worn. EPA wfll Oc suit against PRPs.
when rmrHr&P*. 0 iffiW money spent by EPA and
judicial consent decree) or It may be an
.
depoaUitmteSqiesfundTnatPanl. This is calkd cost
td It If a major priority under die Supernmd
order (where EPA aod the PRP(s) rign sn
outside of coonX Bom of theKifieemenBafe enforce-
able in a coun of taw. Under bom tgieemena EPA
ovenees the PRP.
Founh. If a settlement it not readied. EPA can use io
authority 0 tsaue • unilateral artmiirismtivc older or
directly file suit againt the PRPdX Under dthercouBe
THE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS FOR
REMEDIAL ACTIONS
PRP Search and Notice
soengtbening efforts 10 reach settle-
widiPRPt- EPA believes mat settlements are most
likely 0 occur when EPA interacts fiequemly with PRPs
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540R88106
EPA's ahluqrB
""" STalL. EPA Mto to fl»l
Mto.do»of da needy if tte
IAO»«cafaiceaolc
don not conply vni cte tenni of the
thePRWa«wi.SARA
^^•» ^•^•^^^•l^B *W •••y
^ J ^> ^^lU^A 1.
EMBnl BCUUBI U
Ftdcni AjBocy
betwten EPA «nd FRPi. nd »
PRPs of
i with NPL IWnf.
ictentified
^.^ ^ PRPI are typically toned a genera! notice
leoer. The general notice tnrbnns PltPi of didrponnfld
liability. The general nodeeatao maytachideareonettibr
and a release of infomirion on PRPS iod the sabaaneaat
the site. The overaQ purposes of the general notice ire to
provide PRPs and tepubllcwitbadvai«QOtice of possible
funire negotiatiorB with EPA, to open the lines of eonunu-
HUUU W ••••* BHnMOTVi* ••^^•^^^•F ^— - — •• j -——— •
(.- which Invoke* • (emponry mooiottum on ceruin
- iiOiyUM. ABRVFSipecial
BHlCT tatnaM a ttfrday inmuprtum The moratorium
providaapenodofcteedaiiBjwUGhEPAandFRP. ne-
gotoae. TtetOHOfoBfodadoaiistBrEPAttdPRPsto
itachaienfc«emwtiereiheP1U»iafit*tocoodaaindA)r
iacDviaet. Negotiatiomouy be terminated
nnanry response Bcuvm. f^cym«iim» «*«7 we »»«••«&«
after 60 days for either the Rl/FS or RD/RA if PRPs do not
provide EPA wi* a "good aim" settlement offer.
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Negotiations far the Rl/FS
ThePRPmayconduatoRVreifEPAdewmtaesdiePRP
is quiUfled to coadoa d» 1Q/F5 and h* ita PUP agrees n
reunbuiw EPA for die OB* of oversight The terms of ibis
agreement 10 conduct the Rl/FS are outlined in either an
Administrative Older oo Gooses or a Content Decree, both
of which are enforceable in court, If negotiations do not
result in an order or i decne. EPA may me Trail Raid
mooes to perform the RIffS and seek reimbursement lor in
{^CLAauihofim die use of *mlxed funding.' ID mixed
funding, seating PRPs and EPA sham te con of the re-
sponse action and EPA minuet viable noo-seolen for the
con EPA incurred. Though f^A***^ PPA. >iiM.1Trt ^
item for MVRA
Negotiations for the RD/RA
Where a special nodoe is used, the i
may be extended to a tool of 120 dan- The term of the
agreement to conduct the RIVRA are ootttned tai a COOMB
Decree, which aD parties sign and it emend to conn. Ifne-
godadoas do not result taMfetdemeDt. EPAmayoondoaihe
useofthiterypeiofau^fan4in»sjnn|emenu. These ire
i." where die PRPs conduct die remedial
I EPA agrees u> reonbune das PRPs for a portion
of dieir response coso "cash-outs." where PRPs pay for a
portion of the remedir* con and EPA conducts the work;
and "mixed wonV » nere EPA and PRPs bom agree to
EPA prates a';
t of its com with die assis
of Justice (DOIX OrEPAmayisMea
trveot0^ordiitctlyfflesuit»«biced«sPRPi»
aatenladaaniscn-
Themft
sd by EPA to
masibemadeavailaoletodKpubttc. Tmstadk
cliKUngpublkconaDents. Is compiled andm
the
at a rite
•ten. to-
rn die
EPA encourages the use of '****'* funding m promote
CCCDiScDBOtt Matt IttB IBfleVQ18DQu!L DBi> VFlu OOlgiilBUC 10 SBClC
100 percent of response con from PRPi where possible.
Use of mixed tading does int change EPA'sappnachnfe-
tennintag liability. PRPs may be hdd jtiady and severally
I EPA will seek to recover EPA'i nixed funding
remedy. Under dc
, idsdvdy small comributcn of'
nutve record nles. The
serves rwo mata purposes. Hnta r, ,
for public nwohremem in ine sdecdon of a remedy at a she.
Second, b provides a basis for judicial review of the
TOOLS FOR ENFORCEMENT
toaste or cental*
liability.
eny whnont knowing dot it was used for hazardous waste
Or EPA may enter mto fe mjmjnia seatement
i with t party where die settlement includes only
of watts represents a relatively minor amount and is not
fiacfflty. Ifci
proctu. CERCLA provides tooit that are designed •> help
PRP it a ate owner who did not
ties may be used by EPA 10 _
inoudofnldng diem m coot EPA betteva ntat PRPs
should be owolved early m the Superfimtf prooas at a ate.
ItlsmthebestiiMiestrfPRrttonetotiaBwmhEPABndi)
conduct die N/FS. as das can keep dw
costs can be conoou>d EPA actively
with PRPs using tools m SARA and
towards improvements in die scnir.incJt process itself.
These new SARA tools inctode,biitaren«ttmaedto:
l fjenenlly wffl be m d» form of admuiSBidwe orden
oaent tod are tvtOabk
and CovtBanttNotToSoe
A covenant not to sue may be used 10 Omit die ptueiu and
future liability of PRPs. dan encouraging diem to reach a
settlement early. However, agreements generally include
"reopenea1 that would allow EPA to hold parties liable for
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nditicuunknonra at the dme of settlement or for new in-
tive of human heaUh and the environment. In some cases.
without reopenen. Covenants not to me are likely to be
used only in instances when the negotiating PRP is respon-
sible for only a very small portion of a site, and. terefore.
EPA is assured that any future problems with the site are not
likely to be the result of that PWs contribution
Non-binding AJtaeBtions of Rasponslbaity (NBAR)
MB AR is a process for EPA to propose a way for PRPs to
allocate con among themselves. EPA may decide B>
prepare an NBAR when the Agency determines Otis alloca-
tion U likely to piomou settlement AnNBARdoesnotbind
the government or PRPs and cannot be admitted as evidence
or reviewed in any judicial proceeding, including citizen
suits. Since each PRP may be held liabk for the entire cost
of response, regardless of the size of la contribution to a site,
knowing EPA' s proposed allocation scheme may encourage
thePRPsiosecdeoittofoouRnahertiumrttna^riskofBeing
held fully responsible
STATE PARTICIPATION
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION/COMMUNITY
RELATIONS
EPA policy and the Superfund law "flitrHsh a strong pro-
gnm of public puticipBtion in the decision-making process
at both Fund-lead and enforcement sites. The procedures
and policy for public participation at enforcement sites are
basically the same as for non-cnfoicemem sites. This fact
sheet is limited to those special differences in community
relations when the Agency is negotiating with or pursuing
litigation against PRPx. The contact listed below has nu-
merous *f* trrtt on ***f 5nrT**Vp^ im»ui«m including a
fact
&Dffl
rarity
enfofoemem-lead sites may differ
y relations activities at Fund-lead sites
EPA.DOJ and PRPs gener-
tlly focus on the issue of liability. The negotiation process.
thus, remtires tt*** twp mfonnation be kept confidential
and is not usually open to the public.
When tine 4*v ****** deal with new technical infonna-
don that changes or nxiduVs remedial decidons. this infor-
This process provides the public wkh critical
The Superfund program allows for and encourages State waids
participation in enforcement activities. Pint, EPA is re-
quired to notify the State of negotiations with PRPs and
provide the oppormnity for the State to participate. States
may be a party to any settlement in which they participate.
In addition. EPA is authorized to provide funds to States to
allow State participation in eufacement activities and to
the Agency to move quickly to-
Infbnnation on enforcement strategy;
details of the negotiations, such as the behavior, attitudes, or
legal positions of rcsponsibk parties: and evidence or attor-
ney work product material developed during negotiations.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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