Improving the Department of Defense's Hazardous Waste Cleanup Program.
Abstract
The complete cleanup of hazardous wastes-solvents, petroleum products, metals, munitions wastes-from Department of Defense (DoD) bases is mandated by the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 and the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986. However, it has become increasingly apparent that, given the available resources, complete cleanup may be many years away, and that interim cleanup goals may have to be established in the meantime. With interim goals, cleanup efforts could be focused on tasks that would contribute the most to reducing risk to human health, readying lands for reuse, or speeding the cleanup process. Lower-priority tasks could be postponed. Can such goals be harmonized with one another and with CERCLA and SARA as written? RAND researchers explored this question by evaluating cleanup projects at nine closing bases in California, using a case studies approach. They chose California because of the state's demonstrated commitment to accelerating the cleanup process. The researchers found that, although cleanup projects occur in a complex context that tends to inhibit innovation, there are enough flexibilities in the law to allow interim goals. At one of the bases studied in-depth, project managers seized the available opportunities to speed the cleanup process. At another, progress was delayed-as it is at most DoD bases-by complying with the letter of the law.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA322486
Entities
Organizations
- RAND Corporation