GAO says EPA lacks tools to measure Superfund cost recovery

The Government Accountability Office estimated that EPA recovered less than half of what it spent at nonfederal National Priorities List sites in fiscal years 1996 through 2024. EPA uses the Hazardous Substance Superfund Trust Fund to finance cleanup costs when responsible parties cannot be found or cannot pay.

The Trust Fund received about $34 billion in constant 2024 dollars in fiscal years 2006 through 2024, mostly from General Fund transfers. Congress appropriated about $32.8 billion from the Trust Fund for the Superfund program over that period.

EPA spent about $25.8 billion at nonfederal National Priorities List sites in fiscal years 1996 through 2024. Remedial activities were the largest category and accounted for about half of EPA’s expenditures at those sites. The analysis included 1,622 sites and Superfund Trust Fund expenditures.

EPA had identified at least one potentially responsible party for most nonfederal National Priorities List sites. The agency faced challenges recovering costs, including fewer experienced search staff over the last 10 to 15 years and a limited ability to hold potentially responsible parties liable. Cost recovery efforts were ongoing, and the analysis was a point-in-time estimate.

EPA had established some Superfund performance goals and measures for timely cost recovery steps. It did not have tools to assess the effectiveness of cost recovery across nonfederal National Priorities List sites. EPA officials said they had not done this because cost recovery was a continuous process that could take years to complete.

The Government Accountability Office said measuring effectiveness by region would help EPA determine how much of the cleanup costs it was recovering and which efforts worked best. It would also help EPA determine resource needs and target enforcement efforts. GAO analyzed EPA and budget data, visited Superfund sites and interviewed EPA officials.