Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Enforcement

Guidance: Superfund Liability Protections for Local Government Acquisitions

Guidance memorandum provides an overview of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, commonly referred to as Superfund) liability framework and protections that may apply to local government acquisitions of contaminated property. Through this guidance, the agency is clarifying its enforcement intentions by describing circumstances when it may exercise its discretion to not pursue enforcement actions against certain parties that may fall within a category of liable parties under Section 107 of CERCLA. Issued June 15, 2020.

The guidance supersedes the 2011 factsheet on "CERCLA Liability and Local Government Acquisitions and Other Activities."

  • Superfund Liability Protection for Local Government Acquisitions after the Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development Act of 2018 (pdf) (456.36 KB, 06/15/2020)

Enforcement

  • Enforcement Basics
  • National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives
    • Mitigating Climate Change
    • Addressing Exposure to PFAS
    • Protecting Communities from Coal Ash Contamination
    • Reducing Air Toxics in Overburdened Communities
    • Increasing Compliance with Drinking Water Standards
    • Chemical Accident Risk Reduction
  • Air Enforcement
  • Water Enforcement
  • Waste, Chemical and Cleanup Enforcement
  • Criminal Enforcement
  • Enforcement at Federal Facilities
  • Data and Results
  • Policy, Guidance and Publications
Enforcement: Contact Us
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on May 27, 2025
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.