The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (a.k.a. the
Superfund) provides various types of laws and regulations regarding hazardous substances. How
do you think these laws and regulations relate to disasters that the emergency responder might
face? Explain your response using at least one reference.
CERCLA authorizes the EPA to gather data from Federal amenities. CERCLA also gives
the EPA the power to give orders for settlements. CERCLA provisions require the EPA to enter
an interagency agreement with Federal agencies to ensure timely cleanups. CERCLA, through
interagency agreements, provides technical, legal, and personnel in management needed to
respond to inquiries during a disaster. The interagency agreements set milestones to complete
recovery activities. The activities set forth penalties in the milestones for recovery that are not
met. The milestones include long-term and short-term operations. Some laws establish the
process to be used to clean hazardous substances. They outline the liability for the parties
involved in the cleanup. They establish the responsible party for the cleanup costs. They develop
a trust fund to pay for the cleanup if the responsible people cannot or are unwilling to pay for the
cleanup. CERCLA (2023) says these funds are called a Superfund. The cost is passed on to the
petroleum and chemical companies for cleanup.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and
Federal Facilities. (2023, July 28). https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/comprehensive-
environmental-response-compensation-and-liability-act-cercla-and-federal#EPA
%20Enforcement
