Superfund Enforcement

Superfund FY 2023 Accomplishments

EPA announced the FY 2023 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance annual report on December 18, 2023.

• FY 2023 Accomplishments Report
• FY 2023 Superfund Enforcement Accomplishments Report 

Superfund Enforcement Cleanup Work Map

EPA's online tool highlights Superfund sites where cleanup work is ongoing through the work of EPA's enforcement program. Learn more about the Superfund cleanup map.

Under the authority of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA, commonly known as Superfund), the Superfund enforcement program gets hazardous waste sites cleaned up by finding the companies or people responsible, known as potentially responsible parties (PRPs), for contamination at a site and negotiating with them to do the cleanup themselves or to pay for the cleanup done by another party (e.g., EPA, state, or other parties).  

If EPA and the PRP can’t reach a cleanup agreement, the Agency can order the PRP to do the work or have the Department of Justice (DOJ) require the PRP to do the work through the federal court system. If a PRP is not complying with a cleanup agreement or order, EPA’s enforcement program takes action to correct the situation. These actions may include working with DOJ to resolve noncompliance, requiring the PRP to pay penalties, and/or taking over the cleanup work. 

Additionally, EPA encourages the cleanup and revitalization of contaminated properties by addressing liability concerns to support cleanup and reuse of contaminated lands. Through the use of guidance and site-specific enforcement tools addressing available liability protections, EPA is able to assist parties seeking to clean up, reuse, or redevelop contaminated properties.

Visit EPA's Superfund program website for information on how EPA cleans up Superfund sites and administers the Superfund program.

Learn More About the Superfund Enforcement Program:

• Finding Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
  • Superfund "Notice of Liability" Letters
  • Superfund Information Request Letters
  • Collection of Section 104(e) Question and Answer Categories
• Superfund Liability
  • Defenses and Exemptions to Superfund Liability
  • Unique Parties and Superfund Liability
• Negotiating Superfund Settlements
  • Incentives for Negotiating Superfund Settlements
  • Financial Assurance in Superfund Settlements and Orders
  • Superfund Alternative Approach
  • Sites with Superfund Alternative Approach Agreements
• Superfund Unilateral Orders
• Recovering Cleanup Costs
  • Recovering Costs from Parties in Bankruptcy
  • Special Accounts
• Complying with Superfund Cleanup Agreements and Orders and Penalties
• Superfund Enforcement Authorities

Locate Superfund Enforcement Resources:

• Superfund Enforcement Policy and Guidance Database
• Cleanup Enforcement Model Language and Sample Documents Database
• Superfund enforcement reports and publications
• Superfund enforcement cases and settlements
• PRP Search Manual (2017 edition)