CERCLA is an acronym for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 to 9675 (commonly known as the Superfund), which was enacted by the United States Congress on December 11, 1980 in response to the Love Canal disaster. This law created a tax on petroleum and chemical industries and provided broad Federal authority to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that may endanger public health or the environment. Over five years, $1.6 billion was collected and the tax went to a trust fund for cleaning up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.
CERCLA established prohibitions and requirements concerning closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites, and:
provided for liability of persons responsible for releases of hazardous waste at these sites; and
established a trust fund to provide for cleanup when no responsible party could be identified.
Short-term removals, where actions may be taken to address releases or threatened releases requiring prompt response.
Long-term remedial response actions, that permanently and significantly reduce the dangers associated with releases or threats of releases of hazardous substances that are serious, but not immediately life threatening. These actions can be conducted only at sites listed on Environmental Protection Agency's, (EPA), National Priorities List of Hazardous Substances, (NPL), in the United States and territories.
CERCLA also enabled the revision of the National Contingency Plan (NCP). The NCP provided the guidelines and procedures needed to respond to releases and threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants. The NCP also established the National List of Priorities Sites.
These tasks can range from providing a service for a set period of time to manufacturing and transporting a certain quantity of goods or materials.
The Comprehensive Environmental Response Cleanup and Liability Act (CERCLA), better known to the general public as the Superfund program, was passed by Congress on December 11, 1980.
Under CERCLA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was given the authority to respond directly to the release or threatened release of hazardous substances onto sites which could endanger the public health or the environment.
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