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Compliance and Enforcement Annual Results:
Superfund Enforcement
FY2006 Annual Results Topics
EPA's Superfund enforcement program achieves prompt site cleanup and maximum liable party participation in performing and paying for cleanup in ways that promote environmental justice and fairness. Fiscal year 2006 (FY 06) activities focused on:
- Promoting redevelopment and reuse of contaminated sites
- Maximizing private party funds for cleanup
- Ensuring long-term stewardship at cleaned up sites
- Requiring federal agencies to clean up contamination at their facilities
Promoting Redevelopment and Reuse of Contaminated Sites
In FY 06 the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) promoted not only the cleanup but also the redevelopment and reuse of contaminated sites by defining and addressing liability concerns at such sites. OECA worked on new tools and promoted the use of pilot projects and innovative settlements to encourage the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated sites.
This year, EPA entered into the first-ever agreement with a non-liable party to clean up the Many Diversified Interests, Inc. (MDI) Superfund site in Houston, Texas. The agreement with Clinton Gregg Investments, L.P. will save the Agency $6.6 million in on-site cleanup of lead-contaminated soil. It assures EPA that the buyer has sufficient funds to complete the cleanup and pay for the Agency's oversight costs. More information on the MDI Superfund site case and other land case highlights is available at Land Highlights.
OECA will continue to develop new tools and policies to promote the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated sites.
Maximizing Private Party Funds for Cleanup
The federal Superfund statute authorizes EPA to retain and use funds received in settlements with potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to clean up sites. EPA retains these funds in site-specific accounts or "special accounts," which are sub-accounts within the Hazardous Substance Superfund Trust Fund. EPA maintains more than 500 special accounts. In FY 06 OECA engaged in several efforts to improve the Agency's tracking and management of special accounts.
Ensuring Long-Term Stewardship at Cleaned Up Sites through Institutional Controls
OECA assists EPA's efforts to ensure that institutional controls are and remain protective at sites by maximizing PRPs' participation in properly implementing, monitoring and enforcing institutional controls (such as restrictive covenants, restrictions to prevent access or digging) . By using available enforcement authorities and legal resources, OECA continues to:
- Integrate improvements in information and monitoring technologies into enforcement agreements
- Support the development of institutional control tools like statutory environmental covenants
- Apply lessons learned from the Agency's experience using institutional controls into the Agency's current activities
EPA continues to make progress implementing the Strategy to Ensure Institutional Control Implementation at Superfund Sites (PDF) (17 pp, 116K, About PDF) by systematically reviewing institutional controls at completed Superfund cleanups and increasing EPA's and States' capacity in and knowledge of institutional controls generally. In March of 2006, OECA issued the "'Enforcement First' to Ensure Effective Institutional Controls at Superfund Sites" (PDF) (5 pp, 167K, About PDF) policy memorandum, which affirms EPA's policy of seeking maximum PRP participation in conducting cleanups, including the evaluation and implementation of institutional controls.
Requiring Federal Agencies to Clean Up Contamination at their Facilities
EPA's federal facilities cleanup enforcement program got federal facilities to commit to address over 850 million cubic yards of contaminated soil, sediment and water at facilities they own or operate. This volume accounts for 65% of all cleanup commitments secured by EPA in FY2006. These cleanups will be done under EPA oversight and will make the facilities safer for their surrounding communities.
If you would like more information visit the Federal Facilities Cleanup Enforcement Web page.
Annual Results by Fiscal Year:
FY2008 | FY2007 | FY2006 | FY2005 | FY2004 | FY2003 | FY2002 | FY2001 | FY2000 | FY1999