What is the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act?
The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) was passed by the U.S. Congress in October 1986 and updated in 2003. It is a federal law that provides funds for cleaning up hazardous waste sites in the U.S. and other countries. The SARA is a response to the growing concerns about the health and environmental effects of hazardous waste. SARA created the Superfund program, which is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This program is responsible for inspecting, assessing, and cleaning up hazardous waste sites. Under SARA, the EPA is authorized to investigate, regulate, and enforce hazardous waste sites, and to assess and collect fees from the responsible parties. The fees are used to finance the Superfund program. The Superfund program was designed to protect public health and the environment by cleaning up hazardous waste sites. It requires that contaminated sites be identified, assessed and cleaned up. Sites that are classified as a high risk to human health or the environment must be cleaned up, and the responsible parties must pay for the cleanup. The Superfund program also requires that emergency response plans be developed to address any accidental releases of hazardous materials, and that public health and environmental impacts be monitored. SARA has enabled the EPA to take a proactive approach to the protection of public health and the environment from hazardous waste. It has also provided important public health and environmental benefits by cleaning up hazardous waste sites and protecting local communities from health risks.
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