superfund

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Superfund, also known as CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability) was enacted in 1980 by the federal government in response to the discoveries of multiple large uncontrolled hazardous wastes sites in the United States (US). The Superfund program set aside money for the federal government and specifically the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to investigate and clean up hazardous waste sites, as well as to compel industry to clean them up on their own. Since 1980, many states have developed their own programs similar to Superfund to guide clean up in their respective boundaries.
Under Superfund, the EPA may take action to identify responsible parties, perform emergency removal of hazardous waste, establish long term remediation plans, and facilitate community participation. Hazardous waste sites are identified for EPA involvement through the Hazardous Ranking System (HRS). The HRS is a scoring system based on the actual and potential releases of contaminants to the environment from the site. Sites scoring high in the HRS may be added to the added to the National Priority List (NPL) based on the interest of the state and the relative risk the site poses.
Understanding the fate and transport of hazardous waste can be helpful for both identifying and managing contaminated sites. For example, a scientist can use principals of fate and transport to determine if waste requires an immediate removal action based on its likelihood to migrate to other parts of the site or off-site. If waste does not require immediate removal, fate and transport can help determine what type of long-term remedial action is required. It is very common for waste to migrate off-site via environmental media including groundw...

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... ecological health by remediating habitat including wetlands, floodplains, and beaches. The Coeur d’Alene River has been diverted in at least one area while remediation takes place. Agencies overseeing the Superfund site include the US EPA and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW).

Works Cited

"Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Superfund Site (Coeur D'Alene Basin)." Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Superfund Site (Coeur D'Alene Basin). US Environmental Protection Agency, 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.

National Research Council Committee on Superfund Site Assessment (2005). Superfund and mining megasites: lessons from the Coeur D'Alene River basin. National Academies Press. ISBN 978-0-309-09714-7.

"Basic Information." Superfund. US Environmental Protection Agency, 24 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 Jan.
2014. .

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