SUPERFUND SITES
Superfund is a U.S. program designed to investigate and clean up sites contaminated with hazardous waste. Sites managed under this program are referred to as “Superfund” sites. CERCLA, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, is the official name for the law establishing the federal Superfund program.
There are dozens of Superfund sites in our region. Tennessee Riverkeeper recently developed maps showing these sites.
The EPA seeks to identify parties responsible for hazardous substances released to the environment (polluters) and either compel them to clean up the sites, or it may undertake the cleanup on its own using the Superfund (a trust fund) and seek to recover those costs from the responsible parties through settlements or other legal means.
Historically, around 70% of Superfund cleanup activities have been paid for by the potentially responsible parties, reflecting the polluter pays principle. However, 30% of the time the responsible party either cannot be found or is unable to pay for the cleanup. In these circumstances, taxpayers had been paying for the cleanup operations. Through the 1980s, most of the funding came from an excise tax on petroleum and chemical manufacturers. However, in 1995, Congress chose not to renew this tax, and the burden of the cost was shifted to taxpayers. Since 2001, most of the cleanup of hazardous waste sites has been funded through taxpayers generally. Despite its name, the program suffered from underfunding.
To protect public health and the environment, the Superfund program focuses on making a visible and lasting difference in communities, ensuring that people can live and work in healthy, vibrant places.
LINKS:
MORE INFO:
WHNT / CBS Huntsville — Decatur: Should Some of These Factories be Superfund Sites:
WBIR / CBS Knoxville — Oak Ridge: A look into the Superfund site's environmental cleanup: