EPA Proposes to Add Afterthought Mine in Shasta County, Calif. to Superfund National Priorities List
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed to add Afterthought Mine near Bella Vista in Shasta County, Calif. to the to the Superfund National Priorities List. The NPL is a list of known sites throughout the United States and its territories where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment.
Afterthought Mine operated from 1862 to 1952, producing copper, zinc, lead, silver, and gold. Historic mine features and structures remain onsite, and these mining efforts contaminated the site’s soil and nearby waterways. Contaminated soil and sediment are in direct contact with Little Cow and Afterthought creeks. Little Cow Creek is used for fishing and provides wetland habitat including critical habitat for steelhead trout. EPA will evaluate these areas to better understand the contamination, and if and how the Agency can clean it up.
“The proposal of Afterthought Mine to the National Priorities List is a vital step in EPA’s work to assess contamination in the area and how best to address it,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Cleaning up contaminated land and water and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
EPA is accepting comments on the proposal to add the Afterthought Mine to the Superfund NPL from March 7 until May 6, 2024. The public can submit comments online or by mail:
Online (preferred): Visit www.regulations.gov and search “Afterthought Mine” or “EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0066”
Mail: Send comments to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center Superfund, [EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0066], Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460
Background:
The National Priorities List includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the National Priorities List are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Before EPA adds a site to the National Priorities List, a site must meet EPA’s requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the National Priorities List if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24 percent within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the National Priorities List in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the National Priorities List and proposed sites, please visit: New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
Learn about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Afterthought Mine operated from 1862 to 1952, producing copper, zinc, lead, silver, and gold. Historic mine features and structures remain onsite, and these mining efforts contaminated the site’s soil and nearby waterways. Contaminated soil and sediment are in direct contact with Little Cow and Afterthought creeks. Little Cow Creek is used for fishing and provides wetland habitat including critical habitat for steelhead trout. EPA will evaluate these areas to better understand the contamination, and if and how the Agency can clean it up.
“The proposal of Afterthought Mine to the National Priorities List is a vital step in EPA’s work to assess contamination in the area and how best to address it,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Cleaning up contaminated land and water and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
EPA is accepting comments on the proposal to add the Afterthought Mine to the Superfund NPL from March 7 until May 6, 2024. The public can submit comments online or by mail:
Online (preferred): Visit www.regulations.gov and search “Afterthought Mine” or “EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0066”
Mail: Send comments to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center Superfund, [EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0066], Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460
Background:
The National Priorities List includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the National Priorities List are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Before EPA adds a site to the National Priorities List, a site must meet EPA’s requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the National Priorities List if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24 percent within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the National Priorities List in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the National Priorities List and proposed sites, please visit: New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
Learn about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
EPA Adds Sites to the Superfund National Priorities List, including the Lukachukai Mountains Mining District in Navajo Nation
SAN FRANCISCO — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adding five sites and proposing to add three sites to the Superfund National Priorities List. The NPL is a list of known sites throughout the United States and its territories where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment.
“Updating the National Priorities List is a critical component of EPA's comprehensive approach to protecting human health and the environment from contamination, including in communities overburdened by disproportionate environmental impacts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaning up contaminated land and groundwater and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
“This is historic for the Navajo communities of Cove, Lukachukai, and Round Rock, and the whole Navajo Nation,” said Cove Chapter President James Benally. “It’s reassuring to know the Superfund designation will expand the remediation of the abandoned uranium mine sites on our sacred mountain. We fully support the NPL listing, on behalf, our grandchildren, and generations to come, and the environment.”
“Adding the Lukachukai District to the National Priorities List is a significant milestone in EPA's work to address uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation,” said EPA Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “The District’s cleanup will now be eligible for federal funding through the Superfund program, enabling EPA to provide additional resources to protect the health of the Navajo people.”
Sites Proposed for Addition to the NPL:
The Lukachukai Mountains Mining District is one of five sites added to the National Priorities List and is located in communities historically overburdened by pollution. The site raises potential environmental justice concerns based on income, demographic, education, linguistic, and life expectancy data. By taking action to add this site to the National Priorities List, EPA is working to protect communities in the greatest need.
The Lukachukai Mountains Mining District (LMMD) site is located primarily in the remote Cove, Round Rock, and Lukachukai Chapters of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona. The site includes a hundred mine waste piles from former uranium and vanadium mines. Waste from these piles contains radium 226, uranium and other metals. The waste has migrated downstream in washes and surface water and may have impacted groundwater. Many Navajo families reside on the Lukachukai Mountains and use the land for livestock grazing, recreation, and hunting. It is a sacred area of the Navajo Nation, providing plants for traditional medicinal and ceremonial uses. The mountains provide habitat for several sensitive species, including the federally threatened Mexican spotted owl.
President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to accelerate EPA’s work to clean up NPL sites with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund remedial program. The law also reinstated the Superfund chemical excise taxes to help clean up such sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution. Due to this historic funding, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for site cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years.
Background:
The National Priorities List includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the National Priorities List are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Before EPA adds a site to the National Priorities List, a site must meet EPA’s requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the National Priorities List if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24 percent within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the National Priorities List in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the National Priorities List and proposed sites, please visit:
Learn more about New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
Learn more about Navajo Nation: Cleaning Up Abandoned Uranium Mines.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region x. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
“Updating the National Priorities List is a critical component of EPA's comprehensive approach to protecting human health and the environment from contamination, including in communities overburdened by disproportionate environmental impacts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaning up contaminated land and groundwater and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
“This is historic for the Navajo communities of Cove, Lukachukai, and Round Rock, and the whole Navajo Nation,” said Cove Chapter President James Benally. “It’s reassuring to know the Superfund designation will expand the remediation of the abandoned uranium mine sites on our sacred mountain. We fully support the NPL listing, on behalf, our grandchildren, and generations to come, and the environment.”
“Adding the Lukachukai District to the National Priorities List is a significant milestone in EPA's work to address uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation,” said EPA Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “The District’s cleanup will now be eligible for federal funding through the Superfund program, enabling EPA to provide additional resources to protect the health of the Navajo people.”
Sites Proposed for Addition to the NPL:
The Lukachukai Mountains Mining District is one of five sites added to the National Priorities List and is located in communities historically overburdened by pollution. The site raises potential environmental justice concerns based on income, demographic, education, linguistic, and life expectancy data. By taking action to add this site to the National Priorities List, EPA is working to protect communities in the greatest need.
The Lukachukai Mountains Mining District (LMMD) site is located primarily in the remote Cove, Round Rock, and Lukachukai Chapters of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona. The site includes a hundred mine waste piles from former uranium and vanadium mines. Waste from these piles contains radium 226, uranium and other metals. The waste has migrated downstream in washes and surface water and may have impacted groundwater. Many Navajo families reside on the Lukachukai Mountains and use the land for livestock grazing, recreation, and hunting. It is a sacred area of the Navajo Nation, providing plants for traditional medicinal and ceremonial uses. The mountains provide habitat for several sensitive species, including the federally threatened Mexican spotted owl.
President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to accelerate EPA’s work to clean up NPL sites with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund remedial program. The law also reinstated the Superfund chemical excise taxes to help clean up such sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution. Due to this historic funding, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for site cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years.
Background:
The National Priorities List includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the National Priorities List are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Before EPA adds a site to the National Priorities List, a site must meet EPA’s requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the National Priorities List if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24 percent within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the National Priorities List in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the National Priorities List and proposed sites, please visit:
Learn more about New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
Learn more about Navajo Nation: Cleaning Up Abandoned Uranium Mines.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region x. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
EPA Adds Acme Steel Coke Plant in Chicago to Superfund National Priorities List
CHICAGO (March 5, 2024) -- Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added the site of the former Acme Steel Coke Plant at 11236 South Torrence Ave. in Chicago to the Superfund National Priorities List. The NPL is a list of sites throughout the United States and its territories where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment.
“Updating the National Priorities List is a critical component of EPA's comprehensive approach to protecting human health and the environment from contamination, including in communities overburdened by disproportionate environmental impacts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaning up contaminated land and groundwater and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
“EPA can now focus more federal resources on accelerating the cleanup and addressing the concerns of residents who live near the newly-listed Acme Steel Superfund site,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “This is an important leap forward that empowers EPA to remedy over a century’s worth of contamination on Chicago’s Southeast Side.”
Beginning in the late 1800s, the Acme Steel Coke Plant operated for nearly 100 years at a 104-acre site located 14 miles south of downtown Chicago. The company ceased operations in 2001, leaving behind waste contaminated with semi-volatile organic compounds, or SVOCs, cyanide, and mercury. This contamination threatens nearby water bodies, including wetlands and fishing areas. EPA and the state of Illinois worked together to assess the site and add it to the NPL.
EPA held a 60-day public comment period last year on its proposal to add the Acme Steel site to the NPL. Responses to the comments, which were primarily in support of the listing, are included in the final rule which is published on EPA’s website.
Nationally there are thousands of contaminated sites, including landfills, processing plants, and manufacturing facilities where hazardous waste was dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. The historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law accelerates EPA’s work to clean up this pollution with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund Remedial Program. The law also reinstates the Superfund chemical excise taxes, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution.
Background:
The NPL includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the NPL are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Sites must meet EPA requirements to be considered for the NPL. EPA must first propose a site for addition to the NPL and hold a 60-day comment period. EPA may add the site to the NPL if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24% within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the NPL twice a year, instead of only once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the NPL in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the NPL and proposed sites, please visit: New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
For more information about the Acme Steel site, please visit our website.
“Updating the National Priorities List is a critical component of EPA's comprehensive approach to protecting human health and the environment from contamination, including in communities overburdened by disproportionate environmental impacts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaning up contaminated land and groundwater and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
“EPA can now focus more federal resources on accelerating the cleanup and addressing the concerns of residents who live near the newly-listed Acme Steel Superfund site,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “This is an important leap forward that empowers EPA to remedy over a century’s worth of contamination on Chicago’s Southeast Side.”
Beginning in the late 1800s, the Acme Steel Coke Plant operated for nearly 100 years at a 104-acre site located 14 miles south of downtown Chicago. The company ceased operations in 2001, leaving behind waste contaminated with semi-volatile organic compounds, or SVOCs, cyanide, and mercury. This contamination threatens nearby water bodies, including wetlands and fishing areas. EPA and the state of Illinois worked together to assess the site and add it to the NPL.
EPA held a 60-day public comment period last year on its proposal to add the Acme Steel site to the NPL. Responses to the comments, which were primarily in support of the listing, are included in the final rule which is published on EPA’s website.
Nationally there are thousands of contaminated sites, including landfills, processing plants, and manufacturing facilities where hazardous waste was dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. The historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law accelerates EPA’s work to clean up this pollution with a $3.5 billion investment in the Superfund Remedial Program. The law also reinstates the Superfund chemical excise taxes, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address legacy pollution.
Background:
The NPL includes sites with the nation’s most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the NPL are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Sites must meet EPA requirements to be considered for the NPL. EPA must first propose a site for addition to the NPL and hold a 60-day comment period. EPA may add the site to the NPL if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood-lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24% within three miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the NPL twice a year, instead of only once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the NPL in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the NPL and proposed sites, please visit: New Proposed and New Superfund National Priorities List Sites.
For more information about the Acme Steel site, please visit our website.
EPA Awards Over $650,000 for Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Recycling Project
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians a $653,120 grant, funded by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to expand recycling infrastructure, support good-paying jobs, and increase circular waste management on and off the Tribal land.
“EPA is proud to award this grant, which will support Shingle Springs in their efforts to increase recycling rates, make significant strides in waste removal from Tribal land, and create good-paying jobs for the Tribal community," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "Together, we are making progress toward a circular economy that will better protect the environment and conserve resources."
The grant is part of EPA investment under the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling program for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia. With this funding, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians will increase recycling self-reliance by creating an updated recycling center on the reservation. With this new infrastructure, the Tribe’s Environmental Department plans to recycle all recyclable materials produced on and off the reservation, including from the administrative buildings, Tribal membership housing, economic development properties, and a clinic.
“This funding will allow us to build a recycling center to maximize the volume of recyclable materials and organics removed from the waste stream on Tribal land,” said Chairwoman Regina Cuellar of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. “We look forward to working with the Tribal community to create a more sustainable future.”
This grant reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to tackling environmental justice and climate crises. Many Tribal communities carry a disproportionate environmental and human health burden from waste management. As part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, 100% of the funding allocated in EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling for Tribes grants will benefit underserved and overburdened communities. Increasing recycling is also essential for addressing climate change because natural resource extraction and processing comprise half of all global greenhouse gas emissions driving the climate crisis. Recycling reduces the need to extract resources such as timber, water, and minerals for new products.
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia
The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia will enable Tribes to improve their recycling and waste management systems, meeting Congress’ goal to create a stronger, more resilient, cost-effective U.S. municipal solid waste recycling system.
To learn more about the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia funding, please visit EPA’s Recipients and Selectees webpage.
Visit EPA’s website to learn more ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Learn more about the EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
“EPA is proud to award this grant, which will support Shingle Springs in their efforts to increase recycling rates, make significant strides in waste removal from Tribal land, and create good-paying jobs for the Tribal community," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "Together, we are making progress toward a circular economy that will better protect the environment and conserve resources."
The grant is part of EPA investment under the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling program for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia. With this funding, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians will increase recycling self-reliance by creating an updated recycling center on the reservation. With this new infrastructure, the Tribe’s Environmental Department plans to recycle all recyclable materials produced on and off the reservation, including from the administrative buildings, Tribal membership housing, economic development properties, and a clinic.
“This funding will allow us to build a recycling center to maximize the volume of recyclable materials and organics removed from the waste stream on Tribal land,” said Chairwoman Regina Cuellar of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. “We look forward to working with the Tribal community to create a more sustainable future.”
This grant reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to tackling environmental justice and climate crises. Many Tribal communities carry a disproportionate environmental and human health burden from waste management. As part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, 100% of the funding allocated in EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling for Tribes grants will benefit underserved and overburdened communities. Increasing recycling is also essential for addressing climate change because natural resource extraction and processing comprise half of all global greenhouse gas emissions driving the climate crisis. Recycling reduces the need to extract resources such as timber, water, and minerals for new products.
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia
The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia will enable Tribes to improve their recycling and waste management systems, meeting Congress’ goal to create a stronger, more resilient, cost-effective U.S. municipal solid waste recycling system.
To learn more about the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia funding, please visit EPA’s Recipients and Selectees webpage.
Visit EPA’s website to learn more ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Learn more about the EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Landowner to pay $10,000 for Clean Water Act violations in Central, Alaska
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that Ryan Smith and Noah Smith will pay $10,000 for multiple violations of the Clean Water Act at their property in Central, Alaska.
In April 2021, Ryan Smith and Noah Smith cleared over five acres of wetlands adjacent to Crooked Creek using heavy equipment. The unpermitted work resulted in the moving and discharge of organic and mineral soils, gravel, overburden, logs and woody debris into wetlands, including some located on property owned by the State of Alaska.
“This case sends a clear message that compliance with the Clean Water Act is critically important to protect our Nation’s waters,” said EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski. “It’s the responsibility of anyone attempting to build or construct near waters of the U.S. to apply for the required permits and comply with local, state and federal rules designed to protect our waterways.”
Crooked Creek is listed as impaired for turbidity under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, making it even more vulnerable to these types of unpermitted activities. Discharges of dredged and fill material can result in increases in turbidity for downstream waters. High turbidity makes water appear cloudy and can harm fish and other aquatic life and affect water quality.
In addition to paying a fine, Ryan Smith and Noah Smith will implement extensive fill removal and wetland habitat restoration activities under an approved restoration work plan, conduct annual monitoring for five years, and preserve over five acres of wetlands important for birds and wildlife.
A permit is required from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for certain work, including dredging and construction activities, that may impact waters of the U.S., including wetlands.
Additional details can be found in the Consent Agreement and Final Order.
In April 2021, Ryan Smith and Noah Smith cleared over five acres of wetlands adjacent to Crooked Creek using heavy equipment. The unpermitted work resulted in the moving and discharge of organic and mineral soils, gravel, overburden, logs and woody debris into wetlands, including some located on property owned by the State of Alaska.
“This case sends a clear message that compliance with the Clean Water Act is critically important to protect our Nation’s waters,” said EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski. “It’s the responsibility of anyone attempting to build or construct near waters of the U.S. to apply for the required permits and comply with local, state and federal rules designed to protect our waterways.”
Crooked Creek is listed as impaired for turbidity under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, making it even more vulnerable to these types of unpermitted activities. Discharges of dredged and fill material can result in increases in turbidity for downstream waters. High turbidity makes water appear cloudy and can harm fish and other aquatic life and affect water quality.
In addition to paying a fine, Ryan Smith and Noah Smith will implement extensive fill removal and wetland habitat restoration activities under an approved restoration work plan, conduct annual monitoring for five years, and preserve over five acres of wetlands important for birds and wildlife.
A permit is required from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for certain work, including dredging and construction activities, that may impact waters of the U.S., including wetlands.
Additional details can be found in the Consent Agreement and Final Order.
EPA Adds Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Superfund Site to National Priorities List
Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Site map showing site boundary. (U.S. EPA image)LENEXA, KAN. (MARCH 5, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is adding five sites to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), including the Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Superfund Site in Des Moines, Iowa.
“The addition of the Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Site to the National Priorities List helps EPA prioritize its resources to ensure that the groundwater contamination is cleaned up to protect Des Moines’ water supply and the health of everyone who drinks from the tap in the city,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan A. McCollister. “EPA Region 7 led an extensive community engagement and press outreach campaign that helped generate 198 public comments during the listing phase, the vast majority of which supported listing the site on the National Priorities List.”
EPA proposed adding the Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Superfund Site to the NPL to address groundwater contamination associated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and its breakdown products, particularly cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-1,2-DCE) (1,2-dichloroethylene is also called 1,2-dichloroethene).
TCE and one of its breakdown products, cis-1,2-DCE, have been detected in water samples collected from the Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) infiltration (intake) gallery along the Raccoon River. Only cis-1,2-DCE has been detected in samples from DMWW finished water. These detections are far below their respective Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). All drinking water from DMWW meets the standards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act and does not present a health risk.
“The listing of Lot 46 on the NPL helps to protect our drinking water and clean up the contamination,” said Ted Corrigan, CEO and general manager of Des Moines Water Works, Iowa’s largest drinking water utility. “This cleanup project is of particular importance to Des Moines Water Works because it safeguards a critical element of our central Iowa water supply.”
Background
The NPL is a list of known sites throughout the United States and its territories where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the NPL are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
“Updating the National Priorities List is a critical component of EPA's comprehensive approach to protecting human health and the environment from contamination, including in communities overburdened by disproportionate environmental impacts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaning up contaminated land and groundwater and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
Before EPA adds a site to the NPL, a site must meet EPA’s requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the NPL if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the Agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24% within 3 miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the NPL in 2024.
Visit the new Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Superfund Site Profile page.
Visit the older Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Site page for information as the new page is updated.
View the supporting documentation for adding the Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Superfund Site to the NPL.
View the newly proposed and new additions to the NPL.
Learn more about Superfund and the NPL.
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“The addition of the Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Site to the National Priorities List helps EPA prioritize its resources to ensure that the groundwater contamination is cleaned up to protect Des Moines’ water supply and the health of everyone who drinks from the tap in the city,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan A. McCollister. “EPA Region 7 led an extensive community engagement and press outreach campaign that helped generate 198 public comments during the listing phase, the vast majority of which supported listing the site on the National Priorities List.”
EPA proposed adding the Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Superfund Site to the NPL to address groundwater contamination associated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and its breakdown products, particularly cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-1,2-DCE) (1,2-dichloroethylene is also called 1,2-dichloroethene).
TCE and one of its breakdown products, cis-1,2-DCE, have been detected in water samples collected from the Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) infiltration (intake) gallery along the Raccoon River. Only cis-1,2-DCE has been detected in samples from DMWW finished water. These detections are far below their respective Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). All drinking water from DMWW meets the standards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act and does not present a health risk.
“The listing of Lot 46 on the NPL helps to protect our drinking water and clean up the contamination,” said Ted Corrigan, CEO and general manager of Des Moines Water Works, Iowa’s largest drinking water utility. “This cleanup project is of particular importance to Des Moines Water Works because it safeguards a critical element of our central Iowa water supply.”
Background
The NPL is a list of known sites throughout the United States and its territories where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the NPL are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
“Updating the National Priorities List is a critical component of EPA's comprehensive approach to protecting human health and the environment from contamination, including in communities overburdened by disproportionate environmental impacts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Cleaning up contaminated land and groundwater and returning them for productive use to communities, especially those which have borne the brunt of legacy pollution, is a win for public health and local economies.”
Before EPA adds a site to the NPL, a site must meet EPA’s requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the NPL if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the Agency has responded to any comments.
Superfund cleanups provide health and economic benefits to communities. The program is credited for significant reductions in both birth defects and blood lead levels among children living near sites, and research has shown residential property values increase up to 24% within 3 miles of sites after cleanup.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today’s announcement is the first time EPA is updating the NPL in 2024.
Visit the new Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Superfund Site Profile page.
Visit the older Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Site page for information as the new page is updated.
View the supporting documentation for adding the Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Superfund Site to the NPL.
View the newly proposed and new additions to the NPL.
Learn more about Superfund and the NPL.
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EPA announces Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for cleanup at Post & Lumber Preserving Co. Inc. Superfund site in Quincy, Fla.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a third and final wave of more than $1 billion for cleanup projects at more than 100 Superfund sites across the country as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites, including the Post & Lumber Preserving Co. Inc. Superfund site in Quincy, Fla.
“After three rounds of investments, EPA is delivering on President Biden’s full promise to invest in cleaning up America’s most contaminated Superfund sites,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This final round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has made it possible for EPA to initiate clean ups at every single Superfund site where construction work is ready to begin. This is an incredible milestone in our efforts to clean up and protect communities, deliver local jobs, enhance economic activity, and improve people’s lives for years to come.”
“With this historic funding EPA will be able to reduce ongoing impacts to the area and accelerate cleanup of the site,” said Acting EPA Region 4 Administrator, Jeaneanne Gettle. “We are working to clean up enduring pollution, advance environmental justice, and invest in the revitalization of communities.”
“We are extremely pleased with the allocation of President Biden’s Superfund program to remediate the Post and Lumber site,” said Quincy Mayor Frieda Bass-Prieto. “The reclamation of this primarily undeveloped land with ensure our citizens and visitors will have access to a beautiful land in its natural state without fear of contamination.”
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, the Post & Lumber Preserving Co Inc Superfund site in Quincy, Fla., received funds for the completion of cleanup work at this property by consolidating all contaminated soils onsite and placed under a regulated cover system with a barrier wall as treating contaminated water ensuring that nearby residents are protected from any health impacts from the site.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to continuing to carry out this work advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.
“After three rounds of investments, EPA is delivering on President Biden’s full promise to invest in cleaning up America’s most contaminated Superfund sites,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This final round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has made it possible for EPA to initiate clean ups at every single Superfund site where construction work is ready to begin. This is an incredible milestone in our efforts to clean up and protect communities, deliver local jobs, enhance economic activity, and improve people’s lives for years to come.”
“With this historic funding EPA will be able to reduce ongoing impacts to the area and accelerate cleanup of the site,” said Acting EPA Region 4 Administrator, Jeaneanne Gettle. “We are working to clean up enduring pollution, advance environmental justice, and invest in the revitalization of communities.”
“We are extremely pleased with the allocation of President Biden’s Superfund program to remediate the Post and Lumber site,” said Quincy Mayor Frieda Bass-Prieto. “The reclamation of this primarily undeveloped land with ensure our citizens and visitors will have access to a beautiful land in its natural state without fear of contamination.”
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, the Post & Lumber Preserving Co Inc Superfund site in Quincy, Fla., received funds for the completion of cleanup work at this property by consolidating all contaminated soils onsite and placed under a regulated cover system with a barrier wall as treating contaminated water ensuring that nearby residents are protected from any health impacts from the site.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to continuing to carry out this work advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.
EPA announces Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for cleanup at US Finishing/Cone Mills site in Greenville, S.C.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a third and final wave of more than $1 billion for cleanup projects at more than 100 Superfund sites across the country as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites, including the US Finishing/Cone Mills in Greenville, S.C.
“After three rounds of investments, EPA is delivering on President Biden’s full promise to invest in cleaning up America’s most contaminated Superfund sites,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This final round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has made it possible for EPA to initiate clean ups at every single Superfund site where construction work is ready to begin. This is an incredible milestone in our efforts to clean up and protect communities, deliver local jobs, enhance economic activity, and improve people’s lives for years to come.”
“With this historic funding EPA will be able to reduce ongoing impacts to the area and accelerate cleanup of the site,” said Acting EPA Region 4 Administrator, Jeaneanne Gettle. “We are working to clean up enduring pollution, advance environmental justice, and invest in the revitalization of communities.”
"This federal funding will go a long way in addressing the remaining groundwater contamination at the US Finishing/Cone Mills Superfund site in Greenville," said Myra Reece, Director of Environmental Affairs for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. "Addressing this remaining contamination will benefit the surrounding communities by allowing the redevelopment plans for this site to be fully realized.”
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, the US Finishing/Cone Mills Superfund site in Greenville, S.C., received funds to support the completion of cleanup work at the site by treating contaminated groundwater, paving the way for the site’s return to productive use as mixed-use development (commercial and residential) through a unique public-private partnership with the state of South Carolina and landowners.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to continuing to carry out this work advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.
“After three rounds of investments, EPA is delivering on President Biden’s full promise to invest in cleaning up America’s most contaminated Superfund sites,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This final round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has made it possible for EPA to initiate clean ups at every single Superfund site where construction work is ready to begin. This is an incredible milestone in our efforts to clean up and protect communities, deliver local jobs, enhance economic activity, and improve people’s lives for years to come.”
“With this historic funding EPA will be able to reduce ongoing impacts to the area and accelerate cleanup of the site,” said Acting EPA Region 4 Administrator, Jeaneanne Gettle. “We are working to clean up enduring pollution, advance environmental justice, and invest in the revitalization of communities.”
"This federal funding will go a long way in addressing the remaining groundwater contamination at the US Finishing/Cone Mills Superfund site in Greenville," said Myra Reece, Director of Environmental Affairs for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. "Addressing this remaining contamination will benefit the surrounding communities by allowing the redevelopment plans for this site to be fully realized.”
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, the US Finishing/Cone Mills Superfund site in Greenville, S.C., received funds to support the completion of cleanup work at the site by treating contaminated groundwater, paving the way for the site’s return to productive use as mixed-use development (commercial and residential) through a unique public-private partnership with the state of South Carolina and landowners.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to continuing to carry out this work advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.