Superfund

EPA's Use of Risk Assessments in Cleanup Decisions Gao ID: T-RCED-95-231 June 22, 1995

As it deliberates reauthorizing the Superfund program, Congress is considering risk assessments as a way to control federal expenditures in this multibillion-dollar program. One important aspect of this debate is how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducts human health risk assessments and uses them in making cleanup decisions at Superfund sites. This testimony discusses the extent to which EPA uses human health risk assessments and federal and state standards in determining (1) whether to clean up a Superfund site and (2) how extensive the cleanup should be. GAO also discusses both its ongoing work on whether federal and state standards are based on estimates of risk and its completed work on the extent to which Superfund risk assessments follow EPA guidelines.



The Justia Government Accountability Office site republishes public reports retrieved from the U.S. GAO These reports should not be considered official, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Justia.