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Enforcement

Listening Sessions - Superfund Task Force Recommendations

EPA’s Office of Site Remediation Enforcement (OSRE) within the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance is hosted ten listening sessionfrom May 21, 2018 to June 18, 2018, and again on June 4, 2019 and December 18, 2019. The purposeof the session was to provide a forum for EPA personnel to obtain stakeholder input on specific Superfund Task Force recommendations in an effort to increase public participation and transparency, and strengthen communication with stakeholders. During these listening sessions, Agency staff from OSRE and the Regions provided brief background information on each of the recommendation identified below, as well as progress to date on activities related to the recommendations.

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Background Information

Protecting human health and the environment is EPA’s core mission. Ensuring that the Superfund program operates optimally is one of this mission’s cornerstones. With this in mind, the EPA Administrator established the Superfund Task Force on May 22, 2017, to provide recommendations for improving and expediting site cleanups and promoting redevelopment. The final report of the two-year Task Force was issued in September 2019.

EPA’s Superfund Task Force recommendations are organized under five goals:

  • Expediting cleanup and remediation;
  • Reinvigorating responsible party cleanup and reuse;
  • Encouraging private investment;
  • Promoting redevelopment and community revitalization; and
  • Engaging partners and stakeholders.

More information is available from the Superfund Task Force website.

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Submitting Written Remarks

For the December 18, 2019 listening session written remarks may be submitted until January 15, 2019. Please submit your written remarks to the following email address: osre-sftf-listeningsession@epa.gov and reference recommendation 31 in the subject line.

Once submitted, your written remarks cannot be edited or removed. Please keep in mind that all information obtained or submitted during a listening session may become public information. Do not submit electronically any information you consider confidential business information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

Submitting written remarks for all previous listening sessions is closed.

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Schedule of OSRE SFTF Listening Sessions

OSRE Listening Sessions

December 18, 2019

CERCLA Landowner Liability Concerns Regarding State and Local Government Acquisitions
SFTF Recommendation 31
Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

June 4, 2019

The Use of “Look First” Provisions in CERCLA Settlement Agreements
SFTF Recommendation 22
Tuesday, June 4, 2019, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.|


May 21, 2018

Expediting Negotiations with Potentially Responsible Parties for Superfund Cleanup Agreements
SFTF Recommendation 16-2, Part 1
Monday, May 21, 2018 (Noon – 2 pm Eastern)


June 5, 2018

Exploring CERCLA Environmental Liability Transfer Approaches
SFTF Recommendation 22
Tuesday, June 5, 2018 (Noon – 2 pm Eastern)


New Tools to Support Private Party Investment in Cleaning Up and Reusing Superfund Sites
Recommendation 27
Tuesday, June 5, 2018 (3 – 5 pm Eastern)


June 11, 2018

Encouraging Potentially Responsible Parties to Implement Reuse
Recommendation 21
Monday, June 11, 2018 (Noon – 2 pm Eastern)


Revising EPA's "Common Elements" Guidance to Encourage Third Party Investment
Recommendation 29
Monday, June 11, 2018 (3 – 5 pm Eastern)


June 13, 2018

Informing Parties about Streamlining the Cleanup and Redevelopment Process
Recommendation 23
Wednesday, June 13, 2018 (Noon – 2 pm Eastern)


June 18, 2018

Improving Comfort Letters to Address Superfund Liability Concerns
Recommendation 28
Monday, June 18, 2018 (Noon – 2 pm Eastern)


Improving Implementation of Cleanup Agreements for Response Actions by Potentially Responsible Parties
Recommendation 16-2, Part 2
Monday, June 18, 2018 (3 – 5 pm Eastern)

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Providing Live Verbal Remarks During a Listening Session

Each listening session registration form contains the option to provide live verbal remarks; however, there is a limited number of speaking opportunities available due to the one-and-a-half hour time limit for the session.

A participant that registers to make live verbal remarks will receive additional information on their opportunity to speak. A speaking schedule will be distributed prior to each listening session. Participants are notified prior to the event regarding any time limit on their remarks. EPA will make every effort to follow the schedule as closely as possible on the day of the meeting.

Supporting materials and/or complete or additional remarks associated with a live verbal remarks can be submitted to OSRE via email at osre-sftf-listeningsession@epa.gov. Participants are asked to include the listening session recommendation number in the subject line of your email (example: OSRE LS 22.2-2 or First Look Settlements). Once submitted, written remarks cannot be edited or removed. Please keep in mind that all information obtained or submitted during a listening session may become public information. Do not submit electronically any information you consider confidential business information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

Written remarks to supplement live verbal remarks are due after a listening session by a date specific as noted above.

Contact Information

For more information on the listening sessions, please refer to the information page for each listening sessions listed above or contact OSRE via email at osre-sftf-listeningsession@epa.gov.

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