Superfund
Superfund 30th Anniversary Timeline
For the past 30 years, EPA's Superfund program has helped protect human health and the environment by managing the cleanup of the nation's worst hazardous waste sites and responding to local and nationally significant environmental emergencies. Below you will find a timeline highlighting some of the most notable milestones in the program's first 30 years. Click on the links for more information about a particular topic or event.
1976
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Responding to public concern over "midnight
dumping" of toxic wastes, Congress establishes
authority for controls over hazardous waste from
generation to disposal under the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
Congress enacts the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA), which provides EPA
with authority to protect public health and the
environment through controls on toxic chemicals
that pose an unreasonable risk of injury.
1977
A spark from a welder's torch touches off a
series of chemical reactions that ignite a large
chemical-waste treatment facility in Bridgeport,
New Jersey, leaving six dead and
hospitalizing 35. It is reported that, "the raging
fire propels waste drums through the air and
blankets the city in a funnel of black smoke that
reaches hundreds of feet into the sky."
1978
State of Emergency at Love Canal, New York
President Carter declares a State of
Emergency at Love Canal, New York, after a
startling increase in skin rashes, miscarriages,
and birth defects. Love Canal heightens public
awareness of the grave and imminent perils of
unregulated hazardous waste dumping in communities.
1979
House and Senate committees hold extensive hearings on the dangers posed by toxic waste dumps
House and Senate committees hold extensive
hearings on the dangers posed by toxic waste
dumps and major bills are introduced to
create a "superfund" for dealing with these dangers
in both houses of Congress.
1980
Toxic waste bursts into flames at a waste storage facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Toxic waste bursts into flames at a waste
storage facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, sending a thick black plume of smoke and ash over
a 15-mile area and raising fears of widespread
chemical contamination. The fire burns for 10 hours
as State officials issue an environmental advisory
closing schools and urging residents to close all
doors and windows and remain indoors.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund)
Congress passes the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act (CERCLA or Superfund) to address the
dangers of abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous
waste dumps by developing a nationwide program
for: emergency response; information
gathering and analysis; liability for responsible
parties; and site cleanup. CERCLA also creates a
Trust Fund (or "Superfund") to finance emergency
responses and cleanups.
1981
Superfund successfully responds to the "Valley of the Drums" site in Kentucky
Superfund successfully responds to the
"Valley of the Drums" site in Kentucky,
drawing national attention as EPA acts on behalf of
public safety by removing over 4,000 drums and
installing protective measures.
1982
EPA publishes the Hazard Ranking System
(HRS) as the principal mechanism for evaluating
environmental hazards of a site. HRS is a
numerically-based screening system that uses
information from preliminary investigations to
assess the potential threats that sites pose to
human health or the environment.
First major CERCLA multi-generator settlement
EPA reaches the first major CERCLA
multi-generator settlement, where the
parties implemented the cleanup. The settlement
involved the South Carolina Recycling and Disposal,
Inc., site (a.k.a. "Bluff Road").
EPA issues first national guidelines for
implementing CERCLA in its revised National Oil and
Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan
(NCP). The NCP sets forth the procedures
that must be followed by EPA and private parties in
emergency responses and cleanups.
Birth of the environmental justice movement
A landfill protest in Warren County, North
Carolina 
, raises new concerns over the unequal
distribution of environmental threats in
disadvantaged and minority communities, fostering
the birth of the environmental justice
movement.
, raises new concerns over the unequal
distribution of environmental threats in
disadvantaged and minority communities, fostering
the birth of the environmental justice
movement. 1983
EPA creates the first National Priorities List (NPL)
Using the HRS screening system, EPA creates
the first National Priorities List (NPL),
classifying 406 sites as the nation's priorities
for cleanup under Superfund. Only sites on the NPL
may qualify for long-term remedial actions financed
by the Superfund. The NPL is updated on a regular
basis.
Relocation of more than 500 residents of Times Beach, Missouri
EPA permanently relocates more than 500 residents of
the town of Times Beach, Missouri, because of
widespread dioxin contamination.
1984
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments
Concerns about gasoline and hazardous chemicals
seeping from storage tanks and landfills into
underground drinking water supplies prompt Congress to
enact the Hazardous and Solid Waste
Amendments to RCRA under which EPA makes
efforts to prevent such contamination and requires
the treatment of hazardous waste prior to land
disposal.
Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act
A toxic gas release in Bhopal, India, kills
3,800, raising public concern about
explosions and leaks of toxic chemicals. This
incident led to the passage of the first community
right-to-know law under the 1986 Superfund
Amendments.
1985
1986
First site deleted from the NPL
The Friedman Property site in New Jersey becomes
the first site deleted from the
NPL.
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
Congress passes the Superfund Amendments
and Reauthorization Act (SARA), which in
part: strengthened CERCLA's enforcement provisions;
encouraged voluntary settlements instead of
litigation; stressed the importance of permanent
remedies and innovative treatment technologies;
increased state involvement in every phase of the
Superfund program; increased the focus on human-health problems posed by hazardous waste sites; and
encouraged greater citizen participation in how
sites are cleaned up.
CERCLA Section 120 addresses Federal Facilities
SARA added certain specific provisions to CERCLA that were applicable to the cleanup of contaminated sites at federal facilities. Under CERCLA Section 120, federal agencies are required to comply with CERCLA in the same manner and to the same extent as non-governmental entities. Section 120 also requires federal agencies to identify contamination affecting contiguous or adjacent property, compile information about contaminated sites at federal facilities and enter the information into the Federal Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket, and promptly conduct preliminary assessments, remedial investigations, and feasibility studies at federal facilities.
First emergency planning and community right-to-know law
SARA also contains the first emergency
planning and community right-to-know law
requiring public records of chemicals managed at a
facility, and providing EPA with the authority to
work with states and localities to prevent
accidents and develop emergency plans in case of
dangerous releases of chemicals.
1987
1988
1989
"90-Day Study" Management Review of the Superfund Program
EPA conducts a "90-Day Study" Management
Review of the Superfund Program.
Recommendations resulting from the study include
the need to focus on enforcement first and to
foster the use of innovative technologies. The
Study is the first in a series of evaluations by
EPA to examine ways to improve Superfund.
This document is located near the bottom of the General Reforms Documents list on the page linked above.
Exxon Valdez spills 11-million gallons of crude oil
The Exxon Valdez spills 11-million gallons
of crude oil into Alaska's Prince William
Sound, raising public consciousness for both
Superfund and oil-spill planning and response.
EPA initiates "Enforcement First"
policy where EPA gives first priority to finding
the parties who are potentially responsible for a
release and gets them to address the problem they
created.
1990
Congress enacts the Oil Pollution Act, establishing a tax-based compensation trust fund and makes the costs of pollution cleanup the responsibility of the oil handling industry.
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act
On November 5, 1990, then President George Bush signed Public Law 101-5 10, which established the Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission "to provide a fair process that will result in the timely closure and realignment of military installations inside the United States." More than 350 installations have been closed in four BRAC rounds: 1989, 1991, 1993, and 1995. The most recent round of BRAC was completed in the fall of 2005 and became law in November 2005. EPA's Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO) helps accelerate the transfer of federal property by coordinating environmental cleanup activities and crafting innovative property transfer arrangements at BRAC and other federally-owned sites.
EPA revises the Hazard Ranking System
EPA revises the Hazard Ranking
System in accordance with SARA to help
ensure the HRS accurately assesses the relative
degree of risk to human health and the environment
posed by uncontrolled hazardous waste sites that
may be placed on the NPL.
EPA expands the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan
EPA expands the National Oil and Hazardous
Substances Pollution Contingency Plan in
accordance with SARA to provide for broader
response actions, increased state and public
involvement, and stronger enforcement procedures.
Congress passes the Pollution Prevention Act
Congress passes the Pollution Prevention
Act establishing pollution prevention as
national policy and encouraging industries and
academics to devise novel technologies and
processes that avoid the formation and/or use of
hazardous substances.
1991
"30-Day Study" on Superfund improvements is complete
An EPA task force's "30-Day Study"
proposes initiatives for accelerating the rate of
cleanups and improving how the risks at hazardous
waste sites are evaluated.
1992
Superfund Accelerated Cleanup Model (SACM) to streamline the traditional Superfund response process
EPA issues the Superfund Accelerated
Cleanup Model (SACM) to streamline the traditional
Superfund response process by providing
prompt reduction in risk and an earlier initiation
of enforcement and public participation activities.
1993
EPA establishes Construction Completions as
a new way to more accurately reflect the work
accomplished on Superfund sites. These are
sites where all construction is complete and the
site is awaiting official deletion from the NPL.
The Brownfields Initiative is
launched to redevelop abandoned, idle, or underused
industrial and commercial sites when expansion or
redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived
environmental contamination.
First Round of Administrative Reforms
EPA issues its First Round of
Administrative Reforms designed to enhance
enforcement fairness, reduce transaction costs,
enhance cleanup effectiveness and consistency, and
enhance public involvement and State participation.
1994
The OSWER Environmental Justice Task Force
The OSWER Environmental Justice Task
Force is created to address concerns over
the unequal distribution of environmental threats
in disadvantaged and minority communities in EPA's
waste programs.
1995
Brownfields Action Agenda
EPA launches the Brownfields Action
Agenda, which outlines four activities to
help States and communities implement and realize
the benefits of the Brownfields Program: seed money
through pilots; clarifying liability issues; encouraging partnerships and outreach; and
supporting job development and training.
Second and Third Round of Administrative Reforms
Building on the momentum of the First of Round of
Administrative Reforms, EPA announces the
Second Round of Administrative Reforms (1 pp., 5 K, about PDF) with an emphasis on enforcement,
economic development, community involvement and
outreach, environmental justice, consistent program
implementation, and State empowerment.
Later in 1995, EPA launches a Third Round of Administrative Reforms (1 pp., 14 K, about PDF), in an effort to strengthen the Superfund Program based on three principles: selecting remedies that are cost effective and protective; reducing litigation by achieving common ground instead of conflict; and ensuring that States and communities stay more informed and involved in cleanup decisions.
Later in 1995, EPA launches a Third Round of Administrative Reforms (1 pp., 14 K, about PDF), in an effort to strengthen the Superfund Program based on three principles: selecting remedies that are cost effective and protective; reducing litigation by achieving common ground instead of conflict; and ensuring that States and communities stay more informed and involved in cleanup decisions.
Superfund's emergency response program expands to address terrorist acts
Superfund's emergency response program
expands to address terrorist acts
following the bombing of a Federal building in
Oklahoma City, killing 168. Today, Superfund
assists nationwide efforts to prevent and prepare
for domestic chemical, biological, and nuclear
terrorist acts.
1996
Cumulative Superfund cost recovery settlements exceed $2 billion
Cumulative Superfund cost recovery
settlements exceed $2 billion. Over 20
percent secured in 1996 alone. This landmark
accomplishment demonstrates EPA's commitment under
the Superfund Reforms to promote enforcement
settlements so responsible parties pay for
cleanups.
1997
Brownfields National Partnership launched
EPA launches the Brownfields National
Partnership, linking the efforts of more
than 25 organizations and federal agencies.
Together, the partners make over 100 commitments,
which total $300 million in federal government
investment, to assist cleanup and redevelopment
efforts for as many as 5,000 abandoned or
underutilized properties.
1998
5,000 th emergency removal action (24 pp., 119 MB, about PDF)
EPA completes its 5,000 th
emergency removal action at the Great
Lakes Container site in Missouri, a milestone in
Superfund program achievement.
1999
Superfund Redevelopment Initiative announced
EPA announces the Superfund Redevelopment
Initiative, a coordinated national program
providing communities with the tools and
information needed to turn cleaned up Superfund
sites into productive assets like office parks,
playing fields, wetlands, and residential areas.
2000
Hudson River PCBs Cleanup Plan Announced
After a ten-year, exhaustive scientific study of the contamination of the Hudson River from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), EPA proposed an extensive plan to clean up the river and protect public health. The cleanup would remove over 100,000 pounds of PCBs that would potentially contaminate people, fish, and wildlife through the food chain.
First Citizen's Excellence in Community Involvement Award
In 2000, Tri-Valley CARES became the first recipient of EPA's Citizen's Excellence in Community Involvement Award. Through this annual award, EPA recognizes individuals or a community group for making a significant contribution to a Superfund cleanup. Tri-Valley CARES is a community group based in Livermore, California, that has been actively involved with the Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) since 1983. Tri-Valley CARES helped the public participate in decision-making by developing and circulating a set of 12 criteria for community acceptance of the site cleanup plan. In 1989, Tri-Valley CARES became the first community group in EPA Region 9 to win a Technical Assistance Grant (TAG), which provided financial resources to continue and expand its Superfund community involvement efforts.
700 th Construction Completion
EPA achieves its 700 th
Construction Completion at the Ralph Grey
Trucking Co. site in California.
Brownfields Initiative receives Harvard
University's Innovations in Government
Award
Brownfields Initiative receives Harvard
University's Innovations in Government
Award, the highest honor to government
programs that serve the public. Sponsored by the
John F. Kennedy School of Government, the award
celebrates EPA's effort to clean up abandoned,
underutilized sites and restore them to productive
community use.
2001
1,000th Job Training Participant Completes Training (1 pp., 1 MB, about PDF)
In June 2001, the number of participants having completed job training through EPA's Brownfields Job Training program reached 1,000. Through this program, EPA provides environmental cleanup and health and safety training to residents of brownfields-impacted communities who are seeking new skills and greater earning potential.
In the days, weeks, and months following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the EPA took steps to ensure the safety of rescue workers and the public at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon disaster sites, and to protect the environment. The Agency worked closely with state, federal, and local agencies to monitor and respond to potential environmental hazards and minimize any environmental effects of the disasters and their aftermath.
On October 15, 2001, several office suites in the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC, were maliciously contaminated with anthrax spores that were dispersed from a contaminated letter mailed to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. The building was closed two days later and remained closed until January 23, 2002, so that EPA could effectively decontaminate the building. Chlorine dioxide gas, which regularly is used to decontaminate drinking water systems, fruits, and vegetables, was used by EPA for the first time to fumigate office space and kill anthrax spores.
2002
CERCLA Amended-Brownfields Law Passed (2 pp., 373 K, about PDF)
On January 11, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (Public Law 107-118; H.R. 2869). It expanded EPA's Brownfields Program, boosted funding for assessment and cleanup of brownfields, enhanced roles for state and tribal response programs, and clarified Superfund liability. Historically, under Superfund, the owner or operator of a contaminated property could be held responsible for the property's cleanup, based solely on his or her current ownership of the property. The Brownfields Law changed the liability landscape by providing important protections from Superfund liability to landowners who meet certain statutory criteria. The liability protections are for landowners who qualify as bona fide prospective purchasers, contiguous property owners, or innocent landowners.
2003
Space Shuttle Columbia Accident Response
On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into the earth's atmosphere, killing all seven crew members and dispersing potentially hazardous debris across three states. During its response to the accident, EPA mobilized 1,900 responders to coordinate hazmat response, recover and transport debris, and document each shuttle item recovered. Early in the recovery effort, EPA provided airborne photometric collection technology and utilized a sophisticated Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer vehicle that traveled East Texas roads monitoring air for potentially hazardous chemicals.
EPA Updates Human Health Toxicity Hierarchy (4 pp., 228 K, about PDF)
In December 2003, EPA updated the hierarchy of human health toxicity values and provided guidance for the sources of toxicity information that should generally be used in performing human health risk assessments at Superfund sites. Superfund risk assessments are performed for a number of reasons, including to evaluate whether action is warranted under CERCLA, to establish protective cleanup levels, and to determine the residual risk posed by response actions. Generally, toxicity assessment is an integral part of risk assessment. The revised hierarchy recognizes that EPA should use the best science available on which to base risk assessments.
2004
Love Canal Superfund Site Delisted
In September 2004, EPA finalized its decision to remove the Love Canal Superfund site from the NPL. Through a series of plans, EPA, together with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, contained and secured the wastes already disposed of in the canal so that they are no longer leaking into surrounding soils and groundwater. Today, the Love Canal area is once again a flourishing community. Forty acres are covered by a synthetic liner and clay cap and surrounded by a barrier drainage system. Contamination from the site also is controlled by a leachate collection and treatment facility. Neighborhoods to the west and north of the canal have been revitalized, with more than 200 formerly boarded-up homes renovated and sold to new owners, and 10 newly constructed apartment buildings. The area east of the canal has been sold for light industrial and commercial redevelopment.
EPA Launches Return to Use Initiative
EPA developed the Return to Use (RTU) Initiative in late 2004 as a critical element of the Agency's Superfund Redevelopment activities. The RTU Initiative is designed to remove barriers to appropriate reuse at those Superfund sites where construction of the cleanup remedy has been completed. Many of these sites remain idle or underutilized. The initiative focuses on establishing partnerships with communities and other stakeholders to address potential obstacles to reuse. Projects have ranged from an informal consultation between community representatives and EPA personnel, to a memorandum of understanding between Regional offices and local stakeholders.
2005
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Response
EPA emergency response personnel worked with FEMA and state and local agencies to respond to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. In emergency situations, EPA serves as the lead agency for the cleanup of hazardous materials. In the five years since the hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast, EPA has conducted environmental monitoring and sampling of water, air, floodwater, and residual sediment resulting in more than 400,000 analyses. In addition, the Agency responded to approximately 70 emergency situations to address chemical spills, fires, and other emergencies causing an immediate public threat. For a full list of EPA activities, visit: http://www.epa.gov/katrina/5years.html
2006
1,000th Construction Completion Achieved
Construction work at the Macalloy Corporation Superfund site in North Charleston, South Carolina, was completed in the fall of 2006, making it the 1,000th site to reach the "construction completion" milestone. At sites that are construction complete, a remedy has been designed and built that prevents contaminants from spreading through the soil, surface water or ground water.
Cross Program Revitalization Measures
In October 2006, EPA released the Interim Guidance for OSWER Cross-Program Revitalization Measures (CPRM). The CPRM guidance presents a collection of indicators and performance measures that represent the Agency's latest effort to document progress toward land revitalization across all of the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response's various cleanup programs: Brownfields, Superfund, RCRA Corrective Action, Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST), Federal Facilities Response, and Emergency Response.
2007
First Environmentally Responsible and Redevelopment and Reuse (ER3) Project (2 pp., 381 K, about PDF)
In April 2007, EPA announced the first ER3 agreement to clean up and sustainably redevelop the Daly West Mine Superfund Site in Empire Canyon, a historic ore mining and processing area located in Park City, Utah. EPA provided CERCLA liability relief, in the form of a Prospective Lessee Agreement (PLA) from certain future EPA enforcement actions in exchange for DV Luxury Resort, LLC's (DVLR) agreement to perform cleanup actions. DVLR also committed to sustainable redevelopment at the site by agreeing to build a "green" hotel, spa and condominium project, known as the Montage Resort & Spa, by incorporating specific "green" features into the design, construction, and operation.
W.R. Grace Bankruptcy Settlement
On December 19, 2007, EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice announced a bankruptcy settlement with W.R. Grace & Co. (W.R. Grace) that provides EPA with a $34 million allowed general unsecured bankruptcy claim in connection with 32 W.R. Grace sites in 18 states. W.R. Grace is also obligated to continue to perform cleanup at sites it owns. In March 2003, EPA filed claims against the company to recover past and future cleanup costs at sites contaminated by vermiculate, asbestos, and a variety of hazardous substances.
2008
ROD Issued for Tar Creek Superfund Site (6 pp., 91 K, about PDF)
In February 2008, EPA Region 6 issued a record of decision (ROD) for the Tar Creek site in Oklahoma, one of the largest Superfund sites in the nation. By looking beyond the routine cleanup approaches and standard operating procedures, the site team designed a cost-effective $167 million remedy that ensures environmental justice, returns thousands of acres to unencumbered use, and allows for a return to the tribal way of life. The remedy design also defines the criteria for the continued safe conduct of a local commercial industry and thereby protects the related job market into the future. While significant challenges still loom at the site - including resolution of liability issues - the ROD was a significant milestone in the cleanup of this large, complex site.
40,000th Final Assessment Decision
In April 2008, EPA completed the 40,000th Final Assessment Decision (FAD) under the Superfund program. A FAD indicates the completion of all Superfund remedial assessment work at a site; it is one of the key measures tracked by EPA under the Government Performance and Results Act.
EPA Helps Relocate Residents of Pitcher, Oklahoma
In May 2008, EPA provided $8 million in federal funding to the Oklahoma Department of Environment Quality to expedite the buyout and relocation of residents of Picher, Oklahoma. The mining town is in the center of the Tar Creek Superfund site and was heavily damaged by a May 10, 2008, tornado.
Lowry Landfill Gas-to-Energy Facility Becomes Operational
In July 2008, a landfill gas-to-energy facility at the Lowry Landfill in Colorado became operational. The facility, which is part of the Superfund Redevelopment Initiative, collects landfill gases and burns them in generators to produce enough electricity to power 3,000 homes. The gas-to-energy facility provides myriad benefits to the local community, and also minimizes methane emissions that could contribute to climate change.
A video about the Lowry site can be found here.
A video about the Lowry site can be found here.
First Environmental Justice Achievement Awards Announced
On October 21, 2008, EPA announced 12 winners of its first annual Environmental Justice Achievement Awards. EPA's National Achievements in Environmental Justice Awards Program recognizes partnerships that address local environmental justice concerns and result in positive environmental and human health benefits in communities. The awards are given annually to academic institutions, community-based organizations, non-governmental and environmental organizations, state and local governments, and tribal governments and indigenous organizations.
Cleanup of Joliet Army Ammunition Plant Completed
In 2008, the cleanup of the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant (JOAPP) in Illinois was completed - three years ahead of schedule. JOAPP comprises two contiguous Superfund sites and was one of the nation's largest and most productive ordnance complexes. EPA worked with the U.S. Army and Illinois EPA, in conjunction with the local Joliet Arsenal Citizens Planning Commission, to formulate a cleanup and reuse plan for the property. Nearly all of the land has been transferred and is being redeveloped in ways that are already accruing significant economic and ecosystem restoration benefits for the community and the region. Parts of the site have been redeveloped to create the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, establish the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, and build two industrial parks and a landfill in Will County.
2009
In December 2009, EPA, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture jointly announced that, as a result of the largest environmental bankruptcy in U.S. history, $1.79 billion has been paid to fund environmental cleanup and restoration under a bankruptcy reorganization of American Smelting and Refining Company LLC (ASARCO). ASARCO is a leading producer of copper and one of the largest nonferrous metal producers in the United States. The money from environmental settlements in the bankruptcy will be used to pay for past and future costs incurred by federal and state agencies at more than 80 sites contaminated by mining operations in 19 states.
ARRA Passed; Superfund Sites to Receive Funding
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The ARRA specifically includes $7.22 billion for projects and programs administered by EPA, including $100 million for the cleanup, revitalization, and sustainable reuse of brownfields; $600 million for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites; and $200 million for cleanup of petroleum leaks from underground storage tanks. These programs aim to protect and promote both "green" jobs and a healthier environment.
Supefund Redevelopement Initiative 10th Anniversary
In July of 2009, EPA celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Superfund Redevelopment Initiative (SRI). SRI has helped communities across the country reclaim Superfund sites and bring down the barriers that have kept many of them vacant and underutilized for decades. In addition to cleaning up these Superfund sites and making them protective of human health and the environment, the Agency works with communities and other partners to consider future use opportunities and integrate appropriate reuse options into the cleanup process. The Agency also works with communities at sites that have already been cleaned up to ensure long-term stewardship of site remedies and to promote reuse.
Libby Asbestos Public Health Emergency
On June 17, 2009, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson issued a Public Health Emergency at the Libby, Montana, asbestos site. This was the first time that EPA has exercised its authority to make such a declaration under the Superfund law. This history-making determination recognized that the contamination at the Libby site has had a serious public health impact, underscored the need for further action, and launched an interagency effort to deliver immediate medical assistance to area residents who have been or may be exposed to asbestos.
Escambia Wood Treating Company Relocation Completed
Escambia Video
In 2009, the last of the more than 400 households impacted by the Escambia Wood Treating Company Superfund site in Pensacola, Florida, were relocated. The Escambia County relocation marked the first time that an African-American community had been relocated under EPA's Superfund program. More than 500,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil was buried in a lined containment cell on site.
2010
On April 20, 2010, BP's Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana, killing eleven workers and spilling millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. EPA provided full support to the U.S. Coast Guard and monitored and responded to potential public health and environmental concerns. EPA, in close coordination with other federal, state, and local agencies, continues to collect samples along the shoreline and beyond for chemicals related to oil and dispersants in the air, water and sediment; support and advise Coast Guard efforts to clean the reclaimed oil and waste from the shoreline; and closely monitor the effects of dispersants in the subsurface environment.
Community Engagement Initiative
In May 2010, EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) released the Community Engagement Action Plan, which will enhance OSWER's and regional offices' engagement with local communities and other stakeholders (e.g., state and local governments, tribes, academia, private industry, other federal agencies, non-profit organizations) to help them meaningfully participate in government decisions on land cleanup, emergency preparedness and response, and the management of hazardous substances and waste.
Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Program
In fall 2010, the Brownfields Job Training Program was renamed the Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Program and expanded to include training in other areas, including assessment and cleanup of federal facilities, Superfund sites, underground storage tanks, landfills, and other hazardous waste sites. To date, EPA has funded 169 job training grants, through the former Brownfields Job Training Program, totaling over $35 million. As of April 2010, more than 5,800 people had completed training, and more than 3,800 obtained employment in the environmental field with an average starting hourly wage of $14.65.
Superfund Releases Green Remediation Strategy and Principles for Greener Cleanup
In September 2010, EPA released the final Superfund Green Remediation Strategy. Green remediation is the practice of considering all environmental effects of remedy implementation and incorporating options to minimize the environmental footprints of cleanup actions. The Strategy outlines nine key actions (containing 40 specific actions) and describes related activities to promote green remediation.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was founded on December 2, 1970. From that time to the present, America's environmental history has stood witness to both dramatic events and remarkable progress. For 40 years, EPA has worked to protect human health and safeguard our natural environment. Although there is still much left to accomplish, America has made significant strides in reducing the pollution that can threaten the air we breathe, the water we use and the communities we live in.
