The agency estimates that the average cost of cleaning up an NPL site, to the federal government or responsible parties, is $26 million. We have reported that basing these decisions on environmental standards and generic assumptions about such things as the projected future use of a site, rather than actual data from the site, can lead to extensive and costly cleanups. The Senate bill would require compliance only with “applicable” standards, that is, with those that directly pertain to hazardous waste cleanups, and it would eliminate the reference to the specific acts. The bill would also provide opportunities for the states to define their own applicable standards. The proposed legislation would allow EPA to waive the standards if reaching them, among other things, is technically infeasible or unreasonably costly. We recently reported that EPA could potentially use these removals at portions of the 1,000 sites currently awaiting cleanup on the NPL, as well as at portions of the estimated 2,000 additional sites that could be listed.Typically, for these portions, EPA is more certain of the types of contamination present and the appropriate methods to address it, and the agency does not need to conduct extensive studies and designs before taking action. The Bill Supports State Cleanup Innovations

To promote faster and less costly cleanups, the bill would provide financial and technical assistance to states to set up programs through which private parties would voluntarily clean up sites under a state’s supervision. The Senate bill would change the current liability rules and establish a nonbinding process to allocate costs at some sites. The bill would limit natural resource damage claims under CERCLA. More Cost-Effective Technologies Are Needed

The Senate bill would authorize the use of new, potentially cost-reducing technologies at certain federally owned hazardous waste sites.
Why GAO Did This Study

GAO discussed how the proposed Accelerated Cleanup and Environmental Restoration Act would affect the Superfund Program's reauthorization.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that the legislation would: (1) require that cleanups comply only with standards that pertain to hazardous waste cleanups, rather than with water quality standards; (2) allow states to define their own standards and permit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to waive those standards; (3) require that EPA use site-specific data and less conservative assumptions when assessing cleanup sites; (4) require that cleanup sites be ranked by risk; (5) allow the expanded use of low-cost hazardous waste containment measures at cleanup sites; (6) relax the restrictions on non-time-critical removals, which can speed the cleanup process; (7) provide assistance to states to establish programs through which private parties would voluntarily clean up sites; (8) restrict the number of additional sites that could be added to the National Priorities List (NPL); (9) shift the financial burden of the Superfund program from the federal government to state governments; (10) limit the liability of responsible parties at Superfund sites, establish a nonbinding process to distribute the cost of cleanups, and decrease liability for natural resource damage; and (11) mandate the testing and use of new, potentially cost-reducing technologies such as bioremediation at cleanup sites.