Which federal statute addresses liability for hazardous substance cleanup?

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, is the federal statute that specifically addresses liability for the cleanup of hazardous substances. Enacted in 1980, CERCLA was designed to facilitate the identification of hazardous waste sites and ensure the clean-up of those sites to protect public health and the environment.

Under CERCLA, liability is placed on responsible parties, which can include current and former owners and operators of a site, as well as those who arranged for the disposal of the hazardous substances. This creates a legal framework to compel responsible parties to clean up contaminated sites or, if they cannot be identified or are unable to pay, the federal government can step in to manage the cleanup using the Superfund program.

This statute emphasizes the "polluter pays" principle, ensuring that those who contribute to contamination are held financially accountable for remediation efforts. This makes CERCLA a foundational law in environmental protection and hazardous waste management in the United States.