The Superfund Cleanup Program

The Superfund Cleanup Program

This informational packet used by the EPA lays out the basics of the Superfund program in a simple and accessible way.

In the case of the Omaha Lead Site, the EPA responded with a prioritized long-term action to remediate and recover the hazardous lead levels and high health risks for children. This included the enactment of the EPA’s goals:

1. To protect human health and the environment by cleaning up contaminated sites
2. To make responsible parties pay for cleanup work
3. To involve communities in the Superfund Process
4. To return Superfund sites to productive use.

The second goal of making responsible parties pay for cleanup work will be the focus of this exhibit. We ask, to what extend did the EPA make those parties responsible for Omaha lead contamination pay? To what extent are liable parties held liable? To what extent to liable parties pay an appropriate amount in retribution for the hazards they created?

The section of this flyer that asks, “who pays for the cleanup?” details negotiations between the EPA and potentially responsible parties. In the case of the Omaha Lead Site, potentially responsible parties included Union Pacific Railroad Co., ASARCO, Union Pacific Corp., and Gould Electronics Inc. These parties were all found liable for the lead contamination and expected to pay for remediation and response actions as such – but how much did they pay? Did they pay enough?

For a better picture, proceed through this exhibit. You will find further documentation of liability requirements, legal complaints and consent decrees, and newspaper articles that demonstrate the process of the EPA’s feat to make responsible parties pay and the challenges that accompanied this process.

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Informational flyer