Superfund: Problems With the Completeness and Consistency of Site Cleanup Plans

GAO discussed issues involving Superfund cleanups managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and potentially responsible parties (PRP). GAO noted that: (1) EPA and PRP-managed sites used different treatment and containment methods for hazardous waste cleanup, making comparisons difficult; (2) cleanup plans often fail to document the extent of cleanup and justify the remedy; (3) cleanup goals often do not specify all polluted media, raising questions concerning completeness and consistency; and (4) the lack of a centralized database hampers Superfund cleanup efforts.