A Citizens Guide to the Superfund Process

1. United States Office of EPA 540-K-99-006
Environmental Protection Emergency and OSWER 9200.5-12A
Agency Remedial Response January 2000
www.epa.gov/superfund
THIS IS
SUPERFUND
A Citizen’s Guide to
EPA’s Superfund Program

2. EPA 540-K-99-006
OSWER 9200.5-12A
January 2000
THIS IS
SUPERFUND
A Citizen’s Guide to
EPA’s Superfund Program
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Emergency and Remedial Response
Washington, D.C. 20460

3. PREFACE
IF THERE IS A SUPERFUND SITE in
your neighborhood, you are
probably wondering, “what
will happen?” and, “what can
I do?” This brochure will give
you a better understanding of
the Superfund process and
how you can become
involved . . .

4. Hazardous waste WHAT IS SUPERFUND?
sites pose threats to
human health and YEARS AGO, people did not hazardous waste sites,
natural resources. understand how certain Congress established the
wastes might affect people’s Superfund Program in 1980 to
health and the environment. clean up these sites. The
Many wastes were dumped on Superfund Program is
the ground, in rivers or left out administered by the U.S.
in the open. As a result, Environmental Protection
thousands of uncontrolled or Agency (EPA) in cooperation
abandoned hazardous waste with individual states and
Superfund cleans up sites were created. Some tribal governments. Superfund
these sites to protect common hazardous waste locates, investigates, and
people and the sites include abandoned cleans up hazardous waste
environment, and warehouses, manufacturing sites throughout the United
return the land to facilities, processing plants, States.
productive use.
and landfills.
The Superfund Trust Fund
In response to growing was set up to pay for the
concern over health and cleanup of these sites. The
environmental risks posed by money comes mainly from
1

5. taxes on the chemical and contamination at Superfund
petroleum industries. The sites cannot be found, or
Trust Fund is used primarily cannot perform or pay for the
when those companies or cleanup work.
people responsible for
HOW ARE SUPERFUND SITES DISCOVERED? NATIONAL RESPONSE
CENTER HOTLINE
HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES are your state and local If you know of an
discovered by local and state authorities. To report a uncontrolled hazardous
agencies, businesses, the U.S. hazardous waste site, waste site or problem, contact
EPA, the U.S. Coast Guard, problem, or emergency, you the National Response Center
Hotline at 1-800-424-8802.
and by people like you. You should call the hotline at
The hotline is operated
can report potential hazardous 1-800-424-8802. This hotline is
24-hours-a-day to receive
waste sites to the National operated 24-hours-a-day, emergency calls.
Response Center Hotline or to seven-days-a-week.
2

6. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS A CHEMICAL
EMERGENCY?
A NUMBER OF THE SITES reported emergencies may include train
to the National Response derailments, truck accidents,
Center are emergencies and and incidents at chemical
require immediate action. plants where there is a
Emergency actions eliminate chemical release or threat of a
Superfund quickly immediate risks to ensure release to the environment.
responds to chemical your safety. Superfund’s Superfund may respond, or
emergencies to number one priority is to may help state and local
ensure your safety. protect the people in authorities to deal with these
communities near sites and emergencies quickly. The
their environment. hazardous materials are
hauled away from the site for
Superfund personnel are on treatment or proper disposal,
call to respond at a moment’s or they are treated at the site
notice to chemical to make them safe. The risk to
emergencies, accidents, or the community is removed.
releases. Typical chemical
3

7. In an emergency situation, you EPA then evaluates the site EARLY ACTION
and your community will be and determines whether Early Actions are taken when
kept informed of the situation additional cleanup is EPA determines that a site
and what steps are being necessary. may become a threat to you
taken to ensure your safety. or your environment in the
near future. For example,
there may be a site where
WHAT HAPPENS TO SITES THAT leaking drums of hazardous
ARE NOT EMERGENCIES? substances could ignite or
cause harm to you if touched
or inhaled. In an instance
WHEN A POTENTIAL hazardous Many of the sites that are
such as this, EPA takes steps
waste site is reported, EPA screened do not meet the to make sure the situation is
screens the site to determine criteria for federal Superfund quickly addressed and the site
what type of action is cleanup action. Some sites do is safe. Typically Early
necessary. EPA reviews not require any action, while Actions are taken to:
existing data, inspects the site, others are referred to the • prevent direct human
and may interview nearby states, other programs, other contact with the
contaminants from the
residents to find out the agencies or individuals for
site;
history and the effects of the cleanup, or other action.
• remove hazardous
site on the population and the
materials from the site;
environment.
4

8. • prevent contaminants For the remaining sites, EPA At this point, EPA works with
from spreading off the tests the soil, water, and air to local leaders and citizens to
site; determine what hazardous prepare a Community
• provide water to residents substances were left at the site Involvement Plan (CIP). The
whose drinking water has
and how serious the risks may CIP ensures local residents
been contaminated by the
be to human health and the have an opportunity to
site; or
environment. Parties participate in the decision-
• temporarily or
permanently evacuate/ responsible for the making process. In addition,
relocate nearby residents. contamination at the site may EPA sets up a local
conduct these assessments information file in the
Early Actions may take under close EPA supervision. community so that citizens can
anywhere from a few days to
Their involvement in the have access to information
five years to complete
study and cleanup process is about the site. The information
depending on the type and
extent of contamination. critical in order to make best file or “repository” is usually
EPA also determines if Long- use of Superfund resources. located at a library or public
term Action will be EPA uses the information school and contains the official
necessary. collected to decide what type record of the site, reports, and
of action, if any, is required. activities (called the
Administrative Record), as
well as additional site-related
information.
5

9. WHO IS INVOLVED IN SUPERFUND CLEANUPS? TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE GRANT
(TAG) PROGRAM
SUPERFUND CLEANUPS are very live in from the effects of
complex and require the hazardous substances. EPA values your input and
wants to help you
efforts of many experts in
understand the technical
science, engineering, public Your involvement is very
information relating to the
health, management, law, important. You have the
cleanup of Superfund sites in
community involvement, and opportunity and the right to your community so that you
numerous other fields. The be involved in and to can make informed decisions.
goal of the process is to protect comment on the work being
Under the Superfund law,
you and the environment you done. EPA can award Technical
Assistance Grants (TAGs) of
up to $50,000 per site. TAGs
allow communities to hire an
WHAT IS THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST? independent expert to help
them interpret technical data,
THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST extensive, long-term cleanup understand site hazards, and
(NPL) is a published list of action under the Superfund become more knowledgeable
hazardous waste sites in the program. about the different
country that are eligible for technologies that are being
used to clean up sites.
6

10. Your community group may HOW DO THE SITES GET ON THE NATIONAL
be eligible for a TAG if you PRIORITIES LIST?
are affected by a Superfund
site that is listed on the TO EVALUATE THE DANGERS posed also be proposed for the NPL
National Priorities List
by hazardous waste sites, EPA if the Agency for Toxic
(NPL) or proposed for listing
has developed a scoring Substances and Disease
on the NPL where a response
action is underway. system called the Hazard Registry issues a health
Ranking System (HRS). EPA advisory for the site or if the
More information about
uses the information collected site is chosen as the state’s top
TAGs is available from your
Regional EPA Community during the assessment phase priority site. The proposal is
Involvement Coordinator. of the process to score sites published in the Federal
An address and number according to the danger they Register and the public has an
where your coordinator can may pose to public health and opportunity to comment in
be reached is listed in the the environment. Sites that writing on whether the site
back of this brochure.
score high enough on the HRS should be included on the
are eligible for the NPL. Once NPL. To obtain more
a site is scored and meets the information on a proposed
criteria, EPA proposes that it site, contact your Community
be put on the NPL. A site may Involvement Coordinator.
7

11. THE SUPERFUND PROCESS
8

12. WHAT HAPPENS DURING A LONG-TERM CLEANUP?
The Superfund process begins when a
site is discovered. After EPA screens and
assesses the site, the Regional Decision LONG-TERM CLEANUPS are nearby, and options for
Team determines if the site requires Early extensive. Built into this cleaning up the site.
Action, Long-term Action, or both. Early process are several phases that
Actions are taken at sites that may pose lead to the ultimate goal of EPA uses this information to
threats to people or the environment in cleaning up the site and develop and present a
the near future. Long-term Actions are providing a safe environment Proposed Plan for Long-term
taken at sites that require extensive for the citizens living near the Cleanup to citizens and to
cleanup. EPA encourages community site. Throughout the process, local and state officials for
involvement throughout the Superfund comment. The Proposed Plan
there is opportunity for citizen
process. describes the various cleanup
involvement.
options under consideration
First, a detailed study of the and identifies the option EPA
site is done to identify the prefers. The community has at
cause and extent of least 30 days to comment on
contamination at the site, the the Proposed Plan. EPA
possible threats to the invites community members
environment and the people to a public meeting to express
9

13. their views and discuss the are conducted by EPA, the LONG-TERM ACTIONS
Plan with EPA (and sometimes state or the parties responsible Early Actions can correct many
state) officials. for the contamination at the hazardous waste problems and
site. EPA closely oversees this eliminate most threats to human
Once the public’s concerns are health and the environment. Some
design phase and the
sites, however, require Long-term
addressed, EPA publishes a development of the cleanup at Action. Long-term Actions include
Record of Decision, which the site. When the design is restoring groundwater and taking
describes how the agency completed, EPA prepares and measures to protect wetlands,
plans to clean up the site. A estuaries, and other ecological
distributes a fact sheet to the
resources.
notice is also placed in the community describing the
local newspaper to inform the These sites were caused by years of
design and the actions that
pollution and may take several years,
community of the cleanup will take place at the site. even decades, to clean up.
decision.
EPA can put in place the
Next, the cleanup method is equipment and resources
designed to address the necessary to clean up a site,
unique conditions at the site but it may take a long time to
where it will be used. This is return a site to the way it was
called the Remedial Design. before it was contaminated.
The design and actual cleanup Some sites, due to the extent of
10

14. contamination, will never regularly monitors every NPL
return to the way they were site to make sure it remains
prior to the pollution; safe. If there is any indication
however, EPA will make sure that a problem has arisen,
that the site will be safe for the immediate action will be taken
people living around the site to make the site safe again.
now and in the future. EPA
WHO PAYS FOR SUPERFUND CLEANUPS?
SUPERFUND CLEANUP is either at the site. EPA negotiates with
paid for by the parties the responsible parties to get
responsible for contamination them to pay for the plans and
Superfund involves or by the Superfund Trust the work that has to be done to
local communities to Fund. Under the Superfund clean up the site. If an
ensure that their law, EPA is able to make those agreement cannot be reached,
concerns regarding companies and individuals EPA issues orders to
hazardous waste sites responsible for contamination responsible parties to make
are addressed. at a Superfund site perform, them clean up the site under
and pay for, the cleanup work EPA supervision. EPA may
11

15. also use Superfund Trust Fund money back through legal
money to pay for cleanup action.
costs, then attempt to get the
CONCLUSION
EPA’S SUPERFUND PROGRAM is expensive ways to clean up
the most aggressive hazardous sites. And, where possible, old Superfund ensures
that the parties
waste cleanup program in the hazardous waste sites are
responsible for the
world. Everyday, Superfund being restored to productive
pollution pay their
managers are involved in use. Millions of people have
fair share.
critical decisions that affect been protected by Superfund’s
public health and the cleanup actions.
environment. They use the
best available science to The Superfund Program has
determine risks at sites. New one ultimate goal: to protect
and innovative technologies YOUR health and YOUR
are being developed to help environment.
achieve faster and less
12

16. EPA SUPERFUND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT OFFICES
Protecting
communities and the
EPA wants to remain accessible and responsive to your concerns.
environment is what
Our Community Involvement staff is available to answer any
Superfund is all about.
questions you may have regarding a Superfund site or an area
you think may be a site. Here is a complete list of EPA’s Regional
Offices (800 and 888 numbers only work within the Region, except for
Region 4).
U.S. EPA REGION 1 (RAA) U.S. EPA REGION 3 (3HS43)
(CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) (DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV)
One Congress Street, 1650 Arch Street
Suite 1100 Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
Boston, MA 02114-2023 (215) 814-5131 or
(617) 918-1064 or (800) 553-2509
(888) 372-7341
U.S. EPA REGION 4
U.S. EPA REGION 2 (26-OEP) (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN)
(NJ, NY, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands) Waste Management Division
290 Broadway, 26th floor Atlanta Federal Center
New York, NY 10007-1866 61 Forsyth Street, S.W.
(212) 637-3675 or Atlanta, GA 30303
(800) 346-5009 (800) 435-9234 or
(800) 435-9233 13

17. U.S. EPA REGION 5 (PS19-J) U.S. EPA REGION 8 (8-OC) If you wish to obtain additional
(IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI) (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY) copies of this document, contact the
Metcalfe Federal Building, 999 18th Street, Suite 500 Superfund Document Center at:
19th floor Denver, CO 80202-2466 (703) 603-9232
77 W. Jackson Boulevard (303) 312-6312 or superfund.documentcenter@epa.gov
Chicago, IL 60604-3507 (800) 227-8917
(312) 353-2072 or
(800) 621-8431 U.S. EPA REGION 9 (SFD-3)
(AZ, CA, HI, NV, U.S. TERRITORIES)
U.S. EPA REGION 6 (6SF-P) 75 Hawthorne Street
(AR, LA, NM, OK, TX) San Francisco, CA 94105
Wells Fargo Bank (415) 744-2175 or
Tower at Fountain Place (800) 231-3075
1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200
Dallas, TX 75202-2733 U.S. EPA REGION 10 (ECO-081)
(214) 665-8157 or (AK, ID, OR, WA)
(800) 533-3508 1200 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
U.S. EPA REGION 7 (206) 553-1352 or
(IA, KS, MO, NE) (800) 424-4372
901 North 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 551-7003 or
(800) 223-0425
14

18. National Response
Center Hotline:
1-800-424-8802
www.nrc.uscg.mil
RCRA/Superfund
Information Hotline:
1-800-535-0202
www.epa.gov/superfund
15

19. Printed on Recycled Paper