Environmental Contamination: Cleanup Actions at Formerly Used Defense Sites
Abstract
Identification, investigation, and cleanup of hazardous substances under DOD's FUDS program are authorized by the Defense Environmental Restoration program (DERP). Such actions must be carried out consistent with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCIA) as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA), which established DERP. The goals of the program also include the correction of environmental damage. To fund the program, SARA set up the Defense Environmental Restoration Account. DOD has established specific goals for the cleanup of properties, including FUDS, that have hazardous, toxic, and radioactive wastes in the soil and water. These goals include having an approved cleanup process in place or cleanup complete at 100 percent of all such properties by the end of fiscal year 2014. DOD has not yet set any goals for projects involving hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste in containers, unexploded ordnance, other explosive wastes, or unsafe building demolition. Total spending for the FUDS cleanup program since fiscal 1984 is $2.6 billion. During the most recent past five fiscal years (1997-2001), annual program funding for FUDS cleanup averaged about $238 million, with program funding in fiscal year 2001 of $231 million. The Corps' estimate of the additional cost to complete cleanup of the 4,467 currently identified projects is about $13 billion, not including program management or support costs or inflation beyond fiscal year 2007. Also omitted from the estimated cost is a revised cost projection for the cleanup of unexploded ordnance, which resulted from a recent survey of DOD training ranges. According to Corps officials, the revised cost projection for ordnance cleanup would add another $5 billion or more, depending on the level of cleanup selected, to the estimated cost to complete all FUDS projects.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA393797
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office