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National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

2007 CERCLA Administrative Tools for Good Samaritans at Orphan Mine Sites

The memorandum assists EPA regional offices implement the Good Samaritan Initiative and focuses on administrative tools developed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, commonly referred to as Superfund). The memorandum includes a model comfort/status letter for good samaritans and a model settlement agreement and order on consent for removal actions by good samaritans at orphan mine sites. Issued June 6, 2007.

On August 25, 2015, EPA issued the Revised Policy on the Issuance of Superfund Comfort/Status Letters. The revised policy discusses the background of EPA’s issuance of Superfund comfort/status letters and describes the purpose and intended use of these letters. It does not affect the guidelines specific to the use of a Good Samaritan letter.

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