Defense Environmental Isues: Improved Guidance Needed for Reporting on Recovered Cleanup Costs
Abstract
The U.S. government could pay billions of dollars to clean up hazardous waste contamination resulting from past activities at Department of Defense (DOD) sites. Non-DOD parties such as private contractors or lessees that may have contributed to such contamination may also be responsible for the costs of cleanup at these sites. The Department and other responsible parties either agree to a cost sharing arrangement with the responsible parties conducting the cleanup or the Department conducts the cleanup and attempts to recover the other parties share after the cleanup. Previous reports identified wide variations in practices within the Department concerning attempts to recover non-DOD parties share of the costs of cleanups and recommended that the Department resolve these inconsistencies. Section 348 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 required the Department to issue guidance and collect data on cost recoveries. In response, the Department issued guidance that requires its components (the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Defense Logistics Agency) to identify, investigate, and pursue cost recoveries and to report on them in its Defense Environmental Restoration Program Annual Report to the Congress.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA396855
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office