Site Assessment

National Information

Regional Information

Contents

What is Site Assessment?
EPA Region 8 Site Assessment Contacts
Site Assessment Basics
Other Resources

What is Site Assessment?

The Superfund cleanup process begins with site discovery or notification to EPA of possible releases of hazardous substances. Sites are discovered by various parties, including citizens, State agencies, and EPA Regional offices. Once discovered, sites are sent to the appropriate group or groups to investigate. Usually, the site is investigated by Site Assessment for a possible non-time critical site or Emergency Response for a possible time critical response. Once in Site Assessment, the SAM, Site Assessment Manager, evaluates the potential for a release of hazardous substances from the site through these steps in the Superfund cleanup process:

Preliminary Assessment (PA),Site Inspection (SI) & Expanded SI - investigations of site conditions
HRS Scoring - A numerical screening mechanism used to qualify sites for possible inclusion on the National Priorities List
NPL Site Listing Process - list of the most serious sites identified for possible long-term cleanup. There is extensive public involvement to reiew other options and gather support for listing.
After listing the site leaves the Site Assessment group and goes to a Remedial Project Manager, RPM, for a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS), who determines the nature and extent of contamination as well as risk.
Records of Decision (ROD) - explains which cleanup alternatives will be used at NPL sites. This step has extensive public input on the cleanup decision.
Remedial Design/Remedial Action (RD/RA) - preparation and implementation of plans and specifications for applying site remedies
Construction Completion - identifies completion of cleanup activities
Post Construction Completion - ensures that Superfund response actions provide for the long-term protection of human health and the environment. Included here are Long-Term Response Actions (LTRA), Operation and Maintenance, Institutional Controls, Five-Year Reviews, Remedy Optimization, and NPL Deletion

EPA uses these steps to determine and implement the appropriate response to threats posed by releases of hazardous substances. Releases that require immediate or short-term response actions are addressed under the Emergency Response program of Superfund.