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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Use of an environmental management system process at remediation sites

Conference ·
OSTI ID:682192
The US Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA) database, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System (CERCLIS) is the official repository for site and non-site specific Superfund data in support of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). CERCLIS began with 8,000 sites in 1980; today there are more than 37,000 sites are on CERCLIS. Even with $20 billion spent over the last 15 years, more than 75% sites still haven`t reached completed construction. Remediation of all CERCLIS sites is likely to take 50 years and cost $150 billion. Even excluding litigation and transactional costs, the remediation of these sites represents a significant market. In addition to the Superfund financed cleanup, the federal government separately funds the cleanup of federal property. For instance, the Department of Energy 1998 remediation budget was about $8 billion to clean up the environmental contamination that is the legacy of 50 years of nuclear weapons production during World War II and the Cold War. The Department of Defense, Department of Interior, and all other major federal agencies are currently funding or are facing potential cleanup liability. Remediation projects can also arise under other federal environmental laws, such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and under state or private initiatives. Every business opportunity has its own unique risk factors that, if properly managed, will generate profits. Engineering and construction businesses realize the opportunities that arise out of federal and state requirements that require the clean up of environmentally contaminated sites. This paper will discuss the fundamentals of an effective environmental management system and provide insights into how to minimize risk exposure and maximize the short and long term profits arising from remedial action contracts.
OSTI ID:
682192
Report Number(s):
CONF-980632--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English