Author: U S Government Accountability Office (G

Publisher: BiblioGov

Published: 2013-07

Total Pages: 122

ISBN-13: 9781289151386

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO determined: (1) what actions have been taken by federal civilian agencies to comply with provisions of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), which require them to identify federal sites which potentially contain hazardous wastes; and (2) the status of ongoing and planned agency actions to assess and correct hazardous waste problems at federal sites. GAO identified 16 federal agencies involved in hazardous waste activities. The agencies had identified 340 locations with potential hazardous waste problems. Some locations were identified in response to a CERCLA reporting requirement, although identification of sites was hampered because: (1) some agencies were unaware of the reporting requirement; (2) guidance issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) left agencies with broad discretion in meeting the requirement; and (3) there was no requirement for EPA to evaluate the adequacy of agency reporting actions. GAO found that about 30 percent of the 340 identified locations had not been assessed, but that for the remainder, some action had been taken. In 73 cases, EPA or the responsible agency determined that no further action was warranted. GAO also found that seven federal agencies have initiatives underway to identify hazardous waste sites. In addition, GAO found that an EPA inventory of potential hazardous waste sites is incomplete and contains errors, which could adversely affect a new EPA strategy for ensuring that agencies comply with CERCLA requirements.