Summary

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information about its report on the regulation and operation of a hazardous waste treatment, storage, and incineration facility in North Carolina. GAO noted that the report found that: (1) there were numerous problems in regulating the facility; (2) the Environmental Protection Agency and North Carolina could have better carried out their regulatory responsibilities; and (3) the facility was subject to less comprehensive regulations than those applicable to incinerators with permits. GAO believes that: (1) the report adequately addressed federal and state regulation of the facility, but GAO made some changes in the report to ensure against misinterpretation of the information; (2) the report was consistent with congressional requesters' reasons for requesting the review; and (3) it would not be productive to repeat the numerous investigations and studies already completed or in progress.