How does EPA find Potentially Responsible Parties?
Early in the Superfund process, the EPA searches to find all the potentially responsible parties associated with a site. Throughout the duration of the cleanup work at the site, the EPA continues to search for and obtain copies of all records pertinent to the site and the relevant PRPs to determine potential liability and responsibility for cleanup of the site.
More information on the agency's work to find PRPs is available on EPA's Finding Potentially Responsible Parties web page. From this page you can access the agency's PRP Search Manual and PRP Search Training Videos, an eight-part collection on conducting thorough and accurate PRP searches.
The agency's Superfund Enterprise Management System generates a PDF list of all parties that receive general and special notice letters for sites listed in SEMS. A PDF file of the list is available from the Superfund Data and Reports website.
The "Noticed Parties at Sites in SEMS (FOIA-11)" report provides a list of all potentially responsible parties at Superfund sites across the country. The report displays PRPs that have received one or more general notice letters*, special notice letters** and/or PRPs who have entered into an enforceable agreement with EPA to perform cleanup work or to reimburse the agency for past cleanup work. The report is sorted by region, site name, and party name. Not all PRPs who receive a General Notice Letter (GNL) or Special Notice Letter (SNL) will enter into an agreement with the EPA. The report is updated monthly.
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* GNLs are sent by the EPA under section 122 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act informing recipients that they have been identified as a PRP at a Superfund site and may be liable for cleanup costs at the site.
** SNLs are sent by the EPA under section 122(e) of CERCLA to a PRP providing information on why EPA thinks they are liable and plans for the cleanup of the site. The letter also invites parties to participate in negotiations with the EPA to conduct future cleanup work and pay the EPA for any site-related costs already incurred.