While the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has experienced several changes since January, a focus on Superfund sites remains a priority. The Trump administration is working to expedite the cleanup of Superfund sites across the country. According to USEPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi, the administration is working to accelerate cleanup at hazardous waste sites nationwide by deploying new tools and strategies aimed at streamlining the process.1
“Addressing these sites cannot be a years-long effort before we even dig a shovel into the dirt,” Fotouhi said in a recent interview. “That’s what we’re really focused on.”1
Proposed Approaches to Speed Things Up
USEPA is exploring new tools to accelerate the process, including the following:1
- Presumptive remedies: According to Fotouhi, USEPA understands the typical challenges at sites with well-known characteristics, such as former drycleaners. Using proven cleanup methods at sites such as these will allow them to be addressed more quickly.
- Removal actions: USEPA is also considering broader use of rapid responses to contain chemical releases, allowing faster stabilization while longer-term plans are developed and full studies are completed.
A comprehensive plan addressing programmatic and technical evaluation issues will be released by the agency this fall.
With 1,340 Superfund sites in the US and an estimated 78 million people living within 3 miles of one,2 stakeholders on all sides agree on the importance of cleaning up Superfund sites, yet unanswered questions, varying perspectives, and potential risks require consideration.
We are closely monitoring several areas for potential changes that could affect your business operations, regulatory process, and environmental liability management:
- Facility compliance and community engagement: Ensuring that businesses meet environmental regulations while fostering positive relationships with local communities
- New product testing and development: Streamlining the development and testing of products with environmental considerations
- Sustainable chemical practices: Promoting responsible production, use, and disposal of chemicals
- Cleanup program and environmental liabilities: Directly and indirectly supporting Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective actions, including technical reviews of cleanup plans and the development of technical guidance for the collection, analysis, and quality control of environmental data and of knowledge bases to support risk assessments and risk-based decision-making
Our team will continue to monitor these ongoing changes and provide relevant updates as they are available.
Questions? Please reach out to Greg White.
Sources:
1Lee, Stephen. (2025, August 13). Trump’s EPA turns to new tools for faster Superfund cleanups. Bloomberg Law. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/trumps-epa-turns-to-new-tools-for-faster-superfund-cleanups
2Farzan, Shahla. (2025, June 13). EPA moves to accelerate Superfund cleanup amid cuts. Science Friday. https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/epa-accelerates-superfund-site-cleanup/
