EPA announced an additional $1 billion will go toward cleaning up the nation’s most contaminated areas under its Superfund program.
The money will kick-start the cleanup process for 25 new sites and help expedite efforts at 85 other sites. It’s the third and final wave of funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law, which initially set aside $3.5 billion for the Superfund program.
“Not only will this funding breathe new life into communities and address the economic, environmental and public health challenges brought on by Superfund sites, but it will also advance environmental justice,” EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe said on a call with the press Tuesday.
The Superfund program was established in 1980 with the passage of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. Its goal is to reduce the risks caused by hazardous wastes dumped or improperly managed by past industrial activities at processing plants, mines, landfills or other facilities.
