U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Land and Emergency Management

April 2020

Contaminated Sediments Technical Advisory
Group (CSTAG) Process Changes

The Superfund Task Force recommendation 4 focused on promoting national consistency and
review and approval of proposed remedies, including the analysis and approval of remedies that
are subject to review. A national workgroup assessed challenges associated with the board, and
as a result of the assessment EPA identified opportunities for improvement to the CSTAG
process. The resulting changes provide earlier and more frequent engagement during
development of the remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS). A summary of the changes
are below.

CSTAG reviews will continue to be limited to sediment sites and CSTAG will now be the only
review board for the Tier 2 sediment sites. The National Remedy Review Board (NRRB) chair will
participate as a CSTAG member, as appropriate. The CSTAG charter has been modified to replace
a large, comprehensive review at the end of decision making to include additional reviews at site
milestones in the RI/FS and ROD process. The updated CSTAG charter provides the topics and
procedures for the site milestone and final meetings. The following chart provides a summary of
the primary changes to the CSTAG process The updated CSTAG charter provides the review
topics and procedures for the site milestone and final meetings. Coordination with NRRB has also
been changed and CSTAG will be the only review board for the contaminated sediment portion
of Tier 2 sites. The following chart provides a summary of the primary changes to the CSTAG
process.

Element

Before

After

Timing of
Meetings

At NPL listing and prior to
release of proposed plan.

Meetings take place at 4 site milestones of
the RI/FS and ROD decision making process.

Accountability

Regional response. No
formal elevation process.

Formal elevation process to address issues
and improve accountability.

Membership

Set membership.

Set membership supplemented by ad hoc
experts, as appropriate.

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