Senate Oversight Hearing on the EPA Superfund Program
January 1, 2017
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The Frame
The hearing addresses the management and speed of the federal program, which dictates how contaminated sites across the U.S. are cleaned up and how taxpayer funds are allocated for environmental remediation.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
Potentially Responsible Parties
These entities are identified by the EPA as having potential liability for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites.
State Environmental Agencies
These agencies collaborate with the EPA on the management and execution of site cleanups.
Last recorded activity January 1, 2017.
Next step not available in the current record.
Summary
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on August 1, 2017, by the Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight.
- The primary focus was the oversight of the EPA's Superfund program, established by the 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
- The program provides federal authority to clean up hazardous waste sites, respond to environmental emergencies, oil spills, and natural disasters.
- The program utilizes a dedicated trust fund for the cleanup of abandoned waste sites.
- The EPA has the authority to work with 'Potentially Responsible Parties' to facilitate site cleanups.
- The hearing included testimony from three expert witnesses regarding their experiences with EPA cleanup processes.
- The subcommittee discussed methods to complete environmental cleanups more quickly and efficiently while managing taxpayer dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Superfund program?
What was the purpose of this specific hearing?
Why It Matters
The hearing addresses the management and speed of the federal program, which dictates how contaminated sites across the U.S. are cleaned up and how taxpayer funds are allocated for environmental remediation.
News Coverage
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Focus on Efficiency
The hearing reflects a 2017 legislative push to prioritize the speed and cost-efficiency of environmental cleanups over other program metrics.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
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