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Dakota Software's Blog for EHS and Sustainability Professionals

EPA Superfund site manager says climate change planning needed

January 29th, 2018 by Dakota Software Staff

EPA Superfund site manager says climate change planning needed

One of the most important tasks under the Environmental Protection Agency's purview is the management of a variety of Superfund program responsibilities. Although the federal regulator doesn't control all aspects of the initiative - states and other organizations have responsibilities and take important actions as well - it's a critical component.

"An EPA official described how climate change could impact Superfund sites."

A recent statement from an EPA Superfund site manager about the need for the environmental watchdog to consider climate change during cleanup and protection efforts is an important consideration for two reasons:

  • The potential for pollutants to spread throughout the area around a Superfund site if changes in weather patterns lead to flooding and various other conditions that can expand contamination.
  • The statement's conflict with the established position of the current EPA administration.

Congressional testimony may lead to internal conflict

The Associated Press reported that a statement given during a House oversight subcommittee meeting made the opinion of Barry Breen, the EPA's Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, clear to the assembled representatives. Breen is a longtime EPA employee in charge of the Office of Land and Emergency Management.

"We have to respond to climate change, that's just part of our mission set," Breen said in reply to a question from Rep. Jerry McNerney. "So we need to design remedies that account for that. We don't get to pick where Superfund sites are. We deal with the waste where it is."

This position stands in contrast with past statements from top EPA administrator Scott Pruitt and President Donald Trump, who have both expressed general skepticism toward the concept of climate change at various points. This may be a reflection of the divide between the climate change position of many long-term EPA employees and the new administration.

The testimony happened soon after the federal regulator released a list of Superfund sites that could soon be opened to potential purchase by developers for residential, commercial and industrial uses. ABC News reported there are a total of 31 sites on the EPA's list, which doesn't contain a specific timeline for ending the cleanup process or letting outside organizations buy or begin to use the land. The announcement is more of a first step in the process of eventually ending Superfund protections and moving the sites into the hands of other owners. Although the announcement covered just a handful of the more than 1,200 current Superfund sites, it could signal a policy shift.

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