Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Country/Territory United States of America Document type Legislation Date 1980 (2002) Source FAO, FAOLEX Long titleAn Act to provide for liability, compensation, cleanup, and emergency response for hazardous substances released into the environment and the cleanup of inactive hazardous waste disposal sites. Subject Environment gen., Water Keyword Basic legislation Polluter pays principle Pollution control Liability/compensation Special fund Hazardous substances Soil rehabilitation Hazardous waste Water supply Freshwater pollution Water quality standards Potable water Geographical area Americas, Arctic, East Pacific, North America, North Atlantic Abstract This Act authorizes the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to respond to releases, or threatened releases, of hazardous substances that may endanger public health, welfare, or the environment. The Act also enables EPA to force parties responsible for environmental contamination to clean it up or to reimburse the Superfund (created under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act) for response or remediation costs incurred by EPA. The Act also requires EPA to revise the Hazard Ranking System (HRS) to ensure that it accurately assessed the relative degree of risk to human health and the environment posed by uncontrolled hazardous waste sites that may be placed on the National Priorities List. Full text English Website www.epw.senate.gov