The Role of States in Cleanup of Hazardous Waste at Federal Facilities
Abstract
In this paper I will look at the role of states in hazardous waste/ constituent/substance 3 cleanup at federal facilities, a role defined by Congress and implemented by federal agencies. Two questions underlie this paper: what law applies to federal facilities and who is responsible for enforcing that law. As I look at those questions three themes and two federal laws emerge. The themes are (1) the growing environmental concern in this country, (2) the move on the part of the federal government to respond to that concern by entering the field of pollution control, an area of local concern, to apply a national minimum standard but allow the programs to primarily subject to state control, and (3) federal facility compliance with the evolving pollution control laws, focusing on the relationship of federal facilities to the states. The two laws examined are the Solid Waste Disposal Act, better known by the name of its 1976 amendment, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended. I will trace their evolution, including versions that were considered and rejected, to better understand the policy decisions Congress made in defining the role of the states.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA270358
Entities
People
- Richard W. Tobin
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology