Archival of CERCLIS Sites

OVERVIEW

As part of the Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative to encourage cities, States, and private investors to clean up and redevelop contaminated or formerly contaminated sites, EPA has removed approximately 30,000 sites from the Superfund site tracking system known as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System (CERCLIS). These sites have been placed in an archive database to retain historical information collected by EPA's Superfund program.

IMPACT OF CERCLIS LISTING

All sites reported to EPA as potential Superfund candidates are entered into CERCLIS. Historically, EPA maintained information about these sites in the CERCLIS inventory regardless of their status, including sites where it was determined that no further Federal Superfund interest was warranted. This practice led to unintended barriers to the redevelopment of these properties specifically because sites listed in CERCLIS are often automatically considered risky by the lending industry, making it difficult for potential purchasers to secure loans to develop these properties. As a result, potential developers may shy away from these properties simply because they are in listed in CERCLIS.

ACTIONS

EPA has identified and archived approximately 30,000 sites from CERCLIS that have been evaluated and determined not to be appropriate for listing on Superfund's National Priorities List (NPL). Sites chosen for the archive include sites where, following initial investigation, no contamination was found, contamination was removed quickly without the site needing to be placed on the NPL, or the contamination was not serious enough to warrant Federal action so the site was referred to the State.

EPA transfers information on archived sites to the States. The States coordinate with EPA to determine if a site should be returned to CERCLIS because of newly identified contamination problems. In July 1995, EPA sent a letter to 200 mayors with an attached list of sites in their cities that EPA had archived. EPA will continually review CERCLIS, and plans to archive an additional 1,000 sites per year over the next several years.

Archiving sites from CERCLIS is one step in freeing them for redevelopment. EPA plans to take further steps to encourage revitalization of these properties by:

• Improving access to information on the investigations conducted at these sites that resulted in the decision that no further Federal Superfund action was necessary; and

• Identifying tools to remove liability barriers to cleanup for economic redevelopment.

RESULTS

The Agency is beginning to see results from its efforts at the Brownfields Pilot in Buffalo, NY. After removing a former Republic Steel site from CERCLIS, ATDM Corporation, partnering with Village Farms of Buffalo, agreed to clean up a portion of the site in 1997 for dedicated use as a 25-acre hydroponic tomato farm. This new business will employ approximately 300 workers in the immediate area.

CONTACTS

To obtain a list of archived sites, call the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) at (703) 487-4650.

For more information, call the RCRA/Superfund Hotline at (800) 424-9346.