Corrective Action Reforms
"Faster, Focused, More Flexible Cleanups"

The Corrective Action program began in 1984.  Although EPA and the States have made progress in administering the program, Congress, environmental groups, and the regulated community have raised concerns about the slow progress in achieving cleanups. Specific concerns include the emphasis on process and reports over actual work in the field; unrealistic, impractical or overly conservative cleanup goals; and lack of meaningful public participation. To address these concerns, the agency introduced RCRA Reforms, a comprehensive effort to eliminate key impediments to cleanups, maximize program flexibility, and spur progress toward a set of ambitious national cleanup goals.

EPA introduced RCRA Cleanup Reforms in July of 1999. EPA designed the Reforms to achieve faster, focused, and more flexible cleanups at RCRA sites that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste and have potential environmental contamination. These Reforms emphasized the flexibility currently available within Corrective Action and promoted innovative approaches to clean up these facilities. Specific objective of these Reforms were as follows: (1) provide new results-oriented cleanup guidance with clear objectives; (2) foster maximum use of program flexibility and practical approaches through training, outreach, and new uses of enforcement tools; and (3) enhance community involvement including greater public access to information on cleanup progress. For more information, please go to the EPA Headquarters website on the 1999 Reforms, http://www.epa.gov/correctiveaction/reforms.htm.

While the ultimate goal of RCRA Corrective Action is to achieve final cleanups, EPA is measuring the near-term success of the program and Reforms against the GPRA goals and annual cleanup targets for verifying that Current Human Exposures are Under Control and Migration of Contaminated Groundwater is Under Control.

In 2000, EPA held a series of meetings with program implementers and stakeholders. EPA met with representatives from tribes, federal and State agencies, regulated industry, and environmental and community groups, to discuss program impediments, successful approaches and ideas for new set of 2001 Cleanup Reforms. Central ideas that emerged include the importance of: (1) reinforcing and building upon the 1999 Reforms; (2) empowering regulators to try new administrative approaches at the site level; and (3) using frequent, informal communication throughout the cleanup process.

In January 2001, EPA announced a second set of Reforms highlighting the themes developed during these meetings. Specifically the 2001 Reforms will: (1) pilot innovative approaches; (2) accelerate culture change; (3) connect communities to cleanup; and (4) capitalize on redevelopment potential, while maintaining protection of human health and the environment.

Measuring and recording the results of the RCRA Cleanup Reforms is a priority for EPA and the States to ensure continued improvement of the Corrective Action program. EPA will measure progress in putting the Reforms into practice. While the ultimate goal of the Corrective Action program is to achieve final cleanups, EPA will continue to measure the near-term success of the program against its Environmental Indicator goals for controlling human exposure and migration of contaminated groundwater.

For a snapshot of Region 3’s progress in meeting EPA’s Environmental Indicators, please go to http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/ca/ca_progress.htm.

Please contact the Region 3 Corrective Action group by sending an email or calling Robert Greaves (215-814-3423) or Paul Gotthold (215-814-3410).

   

Last Updated: 04/10/02
For questions regarding this page, please contact Bob Greaves or Paul Gotthold.
URL: http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/ca/pgm_reforms.htm