Superfund: Reauthorization and Prioritization Issues (Testimony,
06/24/94, GAO/T-RCED-94-250).

In seeking to reauthorize the Superfund program, which could cost as
much as $75 million to clean up thousands of seriously contaminated
sites, the legislation now before Congress makes significant strides.
The bill includes provisions to improve the pace and consistency of
cleanups, involve the public earlier and to a greater extent, and reduce
transaction costs. GAO believes, however, the bill could do more to
encourage the efficient and effective use of Superfund resources. In
particular, Congress may want to consider amending the Superfund
legislation to underscore the importance of ranking hazardous waste
sites so that resources are targeted to the worst sites first. It could
also encourage cost-recovery efforts by authorizing the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to accrue interest on its expenditures earlier
in the process and to apply market rates and by requiring EPA to define
more broadly which costs are recoverable. GAO also believes that more
information is needed to determine the cost implications of key
provisions in the bill--those transferring to the federal government
responsibility for the cost of orphan shares and operation and
maintenance at Superfund sites.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-RCED-94-250
     TITLE:  Superfund: Reauthorization and Prioritization Issues
      DATE:  06/24/94
   SUBJECT:  Environmental monitoring
             Hazardous substances
             Waste disposal
             Prioritizing
             Site selection
             Regulatory agencies
             Pollution control
             Environmental policies
             Cost sharing (finance)
             Cost analysis
IDENTIFIER:  Superfund Program
             EPA National Priorities List
             EPA Hazard Ranking System
             
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