Federal Facilities: EPA's Penalties for Hazardous Waste Violations

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the penalties assessed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) against other federal agencies for hazardous waste violations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, focusing on the: (1) number and dollar amount of EPA-assessed penalties; and (2) costs associated with negotiating the final amount of the penalty for selected cases.