Cleanup Enforcement

EPA's cleanup enforcement program protects human health and the environment by getting those responsible for a hazardous waste site to either clean up or reimburse EPA for its cleanup. EPA uses a number of cleanup authorities independently and in combination to address specific cleanup situations. Other environmental statutes provide EPA with additional cleanup authorities, which also are listed below. In addition, the cleanup of contaminated property, including brownfields, and the clarification of environmental cleanup liability, are the building blocks to the sustainable reuse of previously-used property. More...

If you are looking for enforcement information for non-cleanup matters under all of EPA's statutes, visit the Civil Enforcement site. For information on overseeing cleanup enforcement at federal facilities utilizing the authorities mentioned below, visit the Federal Facilities Cleanup Enforcement site.

Superfund: EPA's most often used and most powerful cleanup enforcement mechanism is the Comprehensive, Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund). Superfund is a cleanup authority only and does not otherwise regulate a facility's operations.

RCRA: The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), including the Underground Storage Tank (UST) program, contain both cleanup and regulatory authority. RCRA's cleanup authority is the RCRA Corrective Action program, which addresses cleanup activities at RCRA regulated facilities.

Additional Clean-up Authorities: Several other environmental statutes provide EPA with additional cleanup authorities to address oil spills and events that may present an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health. Additional cleanup authority is contained in the following statutes:

• The Clean Water Act (CWA), including the Oil Pollution Act (OPA), and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and
• The Clean Air Act (CAA)

Brownfields and Redevelopment: The cleanup of contaminated property, including brownfields, and the clarification of environmental cleanup liability, are the building blocks to the sustainable reuse of previously-used property. EPA supports appropriate redevelopment of cleaned up waste sites. Cleanup enforcement's role in redevelopment usually addresses liability issues associated with the cleanup of hazardous substances.

Cleanup Enforcement's Information Resources provide access to a variety of documents and publications, including:

• Policy and guidance documents,
• CleanupNews newsletters archive,
• Frequently Asked Questions, and
• Publications and Presentations

EPA's Office of Site Remediation Enforcement is primarily responsible for overseeing the national cleanup enforcement program under CERCLA (Superfund), RCRA (including underground storage tanks), and OPA (oil) and addressing cleanup liability issues to promote redevelopment.

EPA's Office of Civil Enforcement is responsible for overseeing cleanup enforcement matters under the CAA (clean air), CWA (clean water), and SDWA (drinking water), as well as enforcement of non-cleanup matters under all of EPA’s statutes.

EPA’s Federal Facilities Enforcement Office is responsible for overseeing cleanup enforcement at federal facilities utilizing the numerous authorities mentioned above.

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