Site Remediation
Contaminated land must be cleaned up. There are a number of laws that require remediation. The main objective is to clean up hazardous substances at sites that present an imminent and substantial threat to human health and the environment.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Site Remediation Program provides more information.
The Facts
When an uncontrolled release of hazardous and/or petroleum substances occurs into the
environment, the responsible party must conduct remediation activities pursuant to federal and state
cleanup programs -- primarily the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Leaking
Underground Storage Tank (LUST) program or the
Tiered Approach to Corrective Actions (TACO)
site remediation program (SRP). The main objective of these programs is to clean up hazardous
substances at sites that present an imminent and substantial threat to human health and the
environment.
The SRP cleanup program provides Remediation Applicants (i.e., any persons seeking to
perform investigative or remedial activities)
the opportunity to receive Illinois EPA review, technical
assistance and no further remediation determinations from the Illinois EPA. This program is
designed to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the Remediation Applicants. The goals
and scope of actions at these sites are normally defined by the Remediation Applicants.
The Illinois EPA is authorized to issue No Further Remediation (NFR) letters to the Remedial
Applicants who have successfully demonstrated, through proper investigation and, when
warranted, remedial action, that environmental conditions at their remediation site do not
present a significant risk to human health or the environment. The NFR letter signifies a release
from further responsibilities under the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. This program's
activities are paid by the parties requesting the Illinois EPA's oversight.