What is the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act?

The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) was enacted in 1986 to amend and reauthorize the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), a federal law passed in 1980 that established a program to clean up hazardous waste sites in the United States. SARA increases the amount of funding available for Superfund cleanups and expands the scope of responsibility for the cleanups to the persons responsible for the contamination. It also requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to identify and rank sites that must be cleaned and to develop a national priority list for site cleanup. In addition, SARA requires states to develop a plan for responding to hazardous releases; to provide information on the availability of funds for hazardous waste cleanup; and to report on the scope and progress of hazardous waste cleanup. In New York, SARA is implemented by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The DEC conducts site assessments, establishes cleanup decisions, and monitors the progress of cleanups. SARA also requires states to develop a Hazard Ranking System that uses a numerical score to identify potentially hazardous sites and measure their risk levels. The DEC inspects state and federally-owned hazardous waste sites to ensure they are in compliance with SARA regulations. SARA is an important federal law in New York that helps protect public health and the environment from hazardous waste sites. It provides the necessary funding and guidance to ensure hazardous waste sites are cleaned up and to ensure that responsible parties are held accountable for the contamination. SARA ensures that the public is kept informed of hazardous waste sites in their area and that hazardous waste cleanups are conducted in a timely and effective manner.

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What is the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act?

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