Waste Site Cleanup & Reuse in New England
GAO Report on SAND Sites
In 1998 the
General Accounting Office (GAO) 
conducted an investigation
into the status of more than 3,000 sites in EPA's Comprehensive
Response, Compensation and Liability Information System (CERCLIS)
database (740 in New England) for which site assessments had been
performed, but a decision regarding NPL proposal had not been recorded.
As part of their investigation, GAO asked the States and EPA Regional
offices to complete surveys on each of these sites. Based in large
part on these surveys, the report, entitled, "Hazardous
Waste: Unaddressed Risks at Many Potential Superfund Sites," was finalized on December 22, 1998.
The report identified 1,789 sites (579 in New England) that GAO called potentially eligible for listing on the NPL, and 232 sites (six in New England) which the State or EPA identified in their surveys as appropriate candidates for the NPL.
Of the six sites identified by New England states as strong NPL candidates, two have been finalized on the NPL (Pownal Tannery, Pownal, VT; Eastland Woolen Mill, Corinna, ME). Three others are town landfills which are being addressed by their respective state environmental agencies (Sanford, ME; Cranston, RI; Coventry, RI) and were incorrectly identified as listing candidates, and one is currently undergoing investigation by EPA (Jard Co., Bennington, VT).