Superfund is a critical federal program that provides a mechanism for cleaning up properties that pose a threat to human health and the environment. As of January 2025, there are 1,341 sites included on the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Priorities List (NPL) across the States, Territories and the District of Columbia. These sites are in various stages of the Superfund process. While 458 sites have been deleted from the NPL, EPA is under continued pressure to accelerate cleanups and remove sites from the NPL. Leveraging both State and federal resources is an opportunity to achieve this objective at these Superfund sites.
The ASTSWMO Remedial Action Focus Group has prepared this document as a resource for States as they coordinate with EPA on Superfund site characterization and cleanup. In an effort to draw upon the long history of coordination between States and EPA on activities at National Priority List sites, the Remedial Action Focus Group solicited feedback from States on their experiences to develop the Best Management Practices outlined in this document.
The ASTSWMO Remedial Action Focus Group will present the data that came from the research tool on Technical Impracticability (TI) waivers at National Priorities List sites. The intent of this exercise is to evaluate the criteria used to justify TI waivers and evaluate the consistency on approval of TI waivers in the various EPA regions where TI waivers have been requested since 2010. The webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, February 25th at 2:30 PM Eastern.
Speakers:
• David Bartenfelder (EPA OSRTI)
• Ashley Blauvelt (RI)
• Jenny Chambers (MT)
• Cherona Levy (GA)
• Bill O’Connell (AK)
• Ed Putnam (NJ)
• Mark Rickrich (OH)
The ASTSWMO CERCLA and Brownfields Subcommittee has published a position paper on CERCLA Modernization in which there are specific areas of the Superfund Program where States could contribute in a larger, more significant role which would make the process more efficient.
The ASTSWMO Site Assessment Focus Group have published a report that provides additional follow-up to the August 2017 publication, On Time and Under Budget, Superfund Site Assessment Program Analysis, States’ Perspective, and includes a discussion of the variations identified for these tasks; including Pre-CERCLA Screening with sampling, Preliminary Assessment with sampling, combined Preliminary Assessment and Site Inspection, and Abbreviated Preliminary Assessment.
The ASTSWMO Remedial Action Focus Group developed this report to provide information to States and EPA regarding the use of Interim Records of Decision (Interim RODs) at sites subject to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) also known as Superfund.
ASTSWMO’s Sediments Focus Group developed this report to evaluate efforts coordinated across CERCLA and Clean Water Act authorities that were aimed at preventing sediment recontamination. The Focus Group presents several case studies of CERCLA sites that involve a component of sediment remediation through which to explore application of collaborative recommendations jointly developed by several EPA offices.
ASTSWMO’s Site Assessment Focus Group developed a National Priorities List (NPL) Designation report, which presents results from a research project analyzing States’ views regarding whether additional NPL top-priority designations would be beneficial, and information about unsuccessful site listings.
ASTSWMO’s Site Assessment Focus Group facilitated the collection of nationally representative data about States’ use of, and recommendations for, the Site Assessment Program tools. Based on information obtained from States regarding the Site Assessment process, the Focus Group developed this report to present key findings.
ASTSWMO’s CERCLA Post Construction Focus Group developed this report to provide examples of challenges experienced by various States during the transition of sites from the EPA to a State and present National Priorities List site examples that illustrate opportunities for possible solutions to aid in facilitating more successful transitions.
