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Superfund Acronyms and Agencies, With Links To Related Information
Superfund Acronyms and Agencies, With Links To Related Information
Superfund (CERCLA) Acronyms
Confused by the alphabet soup of acronyms and terms that Superfund, remediation and brownsfields "experts" throw at you? Find out what they mean and get more information by following these free links.
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Acronym
Description
ATSDR
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
As the lead Agency within the Public Health Service for implementing the health-related provisions of CERCLA, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is charged under the Superfund Act to assess the presence and nature of health hazards at specific Superfund sites, to help prevent or reduce further exposure and the illnesses that result from such exposures, and to expand the knowledge base about health effects from exposure to hazardous substances back to top...
ATSDR-HazDat
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's Hazardous Substance Release/Health Effects Database "HazDat", the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's Hazardous Substance Release/Health Effects Database, is the scientific and administrative database developed to provide access to information on the release of hazardous substances from Superfund sites or from emergency events and on the effects of hazardous substances on the health of human populations.
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CAA
Clean Air ActThe Superfund law incorporates those substances listed as hazardous air pollutants under
section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) as CERCLA hazardous substances, which is why the CAA is important to Superfund. In addition, Superfund cleanup responses must comply with CAA requirements. The CAA restricts the kinds and amounts of pollutants that may be released into the air and requires permits.
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CAG
Community Advisory GroupsA Community Advisory Group (CAG) is made up representatives of diverse community interests. Its purpose is to provide a public forum for community members to present and discuss their needs and concerns related to the Superfund decision-making process.
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CBEP
Community Based Environmental ProtectionThe Office of Sustainable Ecosystems and Communities (OSEC) mission is to foster the implementation of integrated, geographic approaches to environmental protection with an emphasis on ecological integrity, economic sustainability, and quality of life - otherwise known as Community Based Environmental Protection (CBEP). OSEC is involved in developing and supporting demonstration projects, tools, and policies that support CBEP activities.
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CCL
Construction Completion ListEPA has developed a construction completion list (CCL) to simplify its system of categorizing sites and to better communicate the successful completion of cleanup activities. Inclusion of a site on the CCL has no legal significance.
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CEPPO
Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention OfficeThe Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office (CEPPO) provides leadership, advocacy and assistance to:
- Prevent and prepare for chemical emergencies;
- Respond to environmental crises; and
- Inform the public about chemical hazards in their community.
To protect human health and the environment, CEPPO develops, implements, and coordinates regulatory and non-regulatory programs.
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CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability ActThe Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund, was enacted by Congress on December 11, 1980. This law created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries and provided broad Federal authority to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that may endanger public health or the environment.
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CERCLIS
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Information SystemThe CERCLA Information System is an EPA database of information about Superfund sites. This information is intended for use by EPA employees for management of the Superfund program.
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CLP
Contract Laboratory ProgramThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Contract Laboratory Program (CLP) is a national network of EPA personnel, commercial laboratories, and support contractors whose fundamental mission is to provide data of known and documented quality. The CLP supports the EPA's Superfund effort originally under the 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and under the 1986 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA).
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CWA
Clean Water ActThe Superfund law incorporates those substances listed as hazardous water pollutants under section 311 (b)(4) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) as CERCLA hazardous substances. Section 311 of the CWA also addresses pollution from oil and hazardous substance releases, providing EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard with the authority to establish a program for preventing, preparing for, and responding to oil spills and hazardous substance releases that occur in navigable waters of the United States.
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DED
Data Element DictionaryThe Data Element Dictionary (DED) is a table in which the data element that you are searching for is located. The information contained in the Superfund Data Element Dictionary includes: element name, table name, common name, and field definition
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DOD
Department of Defense The mission of the Department of Defense (DOD) is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country. The Army, Navy, and Air Force are each responsible for environmental restoration of sites under their control. In addition the
Army Corps of Engineers supports cleanup actions at Superfund sites.
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DOE
Department of Energy In 1989, the Department of Energy (DOE) created the Office of Environmental Management (EM) to mitigate the risks and hazards posed by the legacy of nuclear weapons production and research, including the environmental legacy of the Cold War.
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DOT
Department of Transportation Established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, the Department of Transportation's (DOT) mission is to serve the United States by ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and into the future.
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EJ
Environmental JusticeEnvironmental Justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
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EPA
Environmental Protection AgencyEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established as an independent agency on December 2, 1970 during President Nixon's term in office. The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment air, water, and land upon which life depends.
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EPCRA
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know ActThe Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), also known as SARA Title III, was enacted in November 1986. This law provides an infrastructure at the state and local levels to plan for chemical emergencies. Facilities that store, use, or release certain chemicals, may be subject to various reporting requirements. Reported information is then made publicly available so that interested parties may become informed about potentially dangerous chemicals in their community.
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ER
Emergency ResponseThe U.S. EPA's Emergency Response (ER) Program coordinates and implements a wide range of activities to ensure that adequate and timely response measures are taken in communities affected by hazardous substances and oil releases where state and local first responder capabilities have been exceeded or where additional support is needed.
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ERNS
Emergency Response Notification SystemThe Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS) is a database used to store information on notifications of oil discharges and hazardous substances releases.
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ERT
Environmental Response Team In 1978, the Environmental Response Team (ERT) was established under Section 311 of the
Clean Water Act to provide on-site national expert as required by the
National Contingency Plan (NCP) section on Special Forces.
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ET
Ecotox Thresholds 
Ecotox Thresholds (ET) are defined as media-specific contaminant concentrations above which there is sufficient concern regarding adverse ecological effects to warrant further site investigation. ETs are designed to provide Superfund site managers with a tool to efficiently identify contaminants that may pose a threat to ecological receptors and focus further site activities on those contaminants and the media in which they are found.
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions back to top...
FFRRO
Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse OfficeEPA's Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office's (FFRRO) overall mission is to facilitate faster, more effective, and less costly cleanup and reuse of Federal facilities. By focusing on teamwork, innovation, and public involvement, FFRRO and its Regional counterparts improve environmental cleanup, while protecting and strengthening the conditions of human health, the environment, and local economies.
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FIFRA
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide ActPassed in 1972, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) regulates the manufacture and use of pesticides and allows EPA to restrict or prohibit use of particularly harmful pesticides.
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GIS
Geographic Information SystemA Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system that manages data identified by their locations (geographically referenced). Examples of data are county boundaries, land use, and pollution-monitoring locations. With a GIS system, any data can be displayed, assembled, stored, and manipulated. Such data are frequently displayed as maps.
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HRS
Hazard Ranking SystemThe Hazard Ranking System (HRS) is the principal mechanism EPA uses to place waste sites on the NPL. It is a numerically based screening system that uses information from initial, limited investigations - the preliminary assessment and the site inspection - to assess the relative potential of sites to pose a threat to human health or the environment.
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HSRC
Hazardous Substance Research Centers Hazardous Substance Research Centers (HSRC) are a set of national organizations that carry out an active program of basic and applied research, technology transfer, and training involving practical problems relating to hazardous substance management.
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IEUBK
Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic ModelIntegrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic Model for Lead in Children (IEUBK) and the Technical Review Workgroup for Lead (TRW) is an interoffice workgroup convened by EPA's Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR). Its goal is to support and promote consistent application of the best science in the field of lead (Pb) risk assessment at contaminated sites nationwide. This goal encompasses work to further develop and continue to refine risk assessment tools for Pb, to promote the best use of available scientific data for site assessments, and to serve as an advisor to OERR management on Pb risk assessment concerns.
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INFOTERRA
INFOTERRAINFOTERRA is an international environmental referral and research network made up of about 175 countries coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya. The U.S. National Focal Point INFOTERRA is located at the EPA Headquarters Library and managed by the Office of Information Resources Management.
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NCP
National Contingency PlanThe National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, more commonly called the National Contingency Plan (NCP), is the federal government's blueprint for responding to both oil spills and hazardous substance releases. The National Contingency Plan is the result of our country's efforts to develop a national response capability and promote overall coordination among hierarchy of responders and contingency plans.
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NFRAP
No Further Remedial Action PlannedThe Archive, or No Further Remedial Action Planned (NFRAP), database contains information on sites which have been removed from the inventory of Superfund sites. Archive status indicates that to the best of the EPA's knowledge, Superfund has completed its assessment of a site and has determined that no further steps will be taken to list that site on the NPL.
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NIEHS
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Superfund Basic Research Program, provides funding to 18 programs at 70 universities and institutions around the United States to study the human health effects of hazardous substances in the environment, especially those found at uncontrolled, leaking waste disposal sites.
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NPL
National Priorities List (NPL)Sites are listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) upon completion of Hazard Ranking System (HRS) screening, public solicitation of comments about the proposed site, and final placement of the site on the NPL after all comments have been addressed. The NPL primarily serves as an information and management tool. It is a part of the Superfund cleanup process and is updated periodically.
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NRD
Natural Resources DamageNatural Resources Damages (NRD) are defined as injury to, destruction of, or loss of natural resources, including land, fish, wildlife, biota, air, water, ground water, drinking water supplies, that are managed by the government. The measure of damages under CERCLA and OPA is the cost of restoring injured resources to their baseline condition, and the reasonable costs of a damage assessment.
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O&M
Operations and Maintenance Operations and maintenance (O&M) activities protect the integrity of the selected cleanup plan for a Superfund site. O&M measures are initiated by a State after cleanup objectives have been reached, and the site is determined to be operational and functional (O&F) based on the State and Federal agreement.
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OAR
Office of Air and RadiationEPA's Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) deals with issues that affect the quality of our air and protection from exposure to harmful radiation. OAR develops national programs, technical policies, and regulations for controlling air pollution and radiation exposure.
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OECA
Office of Enforcement and Compliance AssuranceThe Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) is responsible for ensuring the compliance of the regulated community with Federal environmental statutes. To achieve that goal, OECA employs an array of approaches including regulatory enforcement, compliance assistance, and compliance incentives.
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OERR-GIS
Office of Emergency and Remedial Response Geographic Information System The Office of Emergency and Remedial Response Geographic Information System (OERRGIS) Work Group was established to coordinate and share information on GIS projects relating to the Superfund and Oil Programs within the OERR and to work with the Regional offices on GIS-related issues.
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OPA
Oil Pollution ActThe Oil Pollution Act (OPA) was signed into law in August 1990, largely in response to rising public concern following the Exxon Valdez incident. The OPA improved the nation's ability to prevent and respond to oil spills by establishing provisions that expand the federal government's authority, and provide the money and resources necessary to respond to oil spills. The OPA also created the national Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which is available to provide up to one billion dollars per spill incident.
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OPP
Office of Pesticide ProgramsThe Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) regulates the use of all pesticides in the United States and establishes maximum levels for pesticide residues in food, thereby safeguarding the nation's food supply. One non-regulatory effort underway is the Pesticides Environmental Stewardship Program, a voluntary private and public partnership dedicated to reducing pesticide use and risk.
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OPPT
Office of Pollution Prevention and ToxicsThe Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), formerly the Office of Toxic Substances, was formed in 1977 with the primary responsibility for administering the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This Law covers the production and distribution of commercial and industrial chemicals in the United States, and OPPT has the responsibility for assuring that chemicals made available for sale and use in the United States do not pose any adverse risks to human health or to the environment.
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OPPTS
Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic SubstancesEPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substance (OPPTS) plays an important role in protecting public health and the environment from potential risk from toxic chemicals for now and for generations to come. OPPTS promotes pollution prevention and the public's right to know about chemical risks. Dealing with emerging issues like endocrine disrupters and lead poisoning prevention are top priorities.
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ORD
Office of Research and DevelopmentThe Office of Research and Development (ORD) is the scientific and technological arm of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Comprised of three headquarters offices, three national research laboratories and two national centers, ORD is organized around a basic strategy of risk assessment and risk management to remediate environmental and human health problems.
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OSCP
Office of Science Coordination and PolicyThe Office of Science Coordination and Policy (OSCP), newly created in January of 1999, provides coordination ,leadership, peer review, and synthesis of science and science policy within OPPTS. Program areas under OSCP include biotechnology, endocrine disrupters and the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP).
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OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Act The mission of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to save lives, prevent injuries and protect the health of America's workers. To accomplish this, federal and state governments must work in partnership with the more than 100 million working men and women and their six and a half million employers who are covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
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OSPS
Outreach and Special Projects StaffThe Outreach and Special Projects Staff (OSPS) serves to coordinate and implement for the
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) the agency's principles and new initiatives, such as
Brownfields,
Environmental Justice (EJ), and the Tribal initiatives, through its unique cross-program perspective. back to top...
OSRTI
Office of Superfund Remediation Technology InnovationThe Office of Superfund Remediation Technology Innovation (OSRTI) manages the Superfund program. The Superfund program was created to protect citizens from the dangers posed by abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Congress established Superfund in 1980 by passing the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
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OSW
Office of Solid WasteThe Office of Solid waste (OSW) operates under authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). OSW protects human health and the environment by ensuring responsible national management of hazardous and nonhazardous waste.
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OSWER
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency ResponseThe Office of the Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response provides Agency-wide policy, guidance and direction for the Agency's solid waste and emergency response programs.
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PA/SI
Preliminary Assessment / Site Inspection The Preliminary Assessment (PA) and Site Inspection (SI) are used by EPA to evaluate the potential for a release of hazardous substances from a site.
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PRP
Potentially Responsible PartiesThe Superfund law (CERCLA) allows EPA to respond to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances into the environment. Under CERCLA, potentially responsible parties (PRPs) are expected to conduct or pay for the cleanup. The Superfund enforcement program identifies the PRPs at the site; negotiates with PRPs to do the cleanup; and recovers from PRPs the costs spent by EPA at Superfund cleanups.
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RAGS
Risk Assessment GuidancePart A of RAGS describes how to conduct a site-specific baseline risk assessment. The information in Part A is necessary background for Part D. Part B provides guidance for calculating risk-based concentrations that may be used, along with applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs) and other information, to develop preliminary remediation goals (PRGs) during project scoping. PRGs (and final remediation levels set in the Record of Decision) can be used throughout the analyses in Part C to assist in evaluating the human health risks of remedial alternatives. Part D complements the guidance provided in Parts A, B, and C and presents approaches to standardize risk assessment planning, reporting, and review. Part D guidance spans the CERCLA remedial process from project scoping to periodic review of the implemented remedial action. Part D guidance applies to all Superfund Risk Assessments starting after January 1, 1998.
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RCRA
Resource Conservation and Recovery ActThe primary goals of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) are to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal, to conserve energy and natural resources, to reduce the amount of waste generated, and to ensure that wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner.
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RD/RA
Remedial Design/Remedial Action Remedial Design (RD) is the phase in Superfund site cleanup where the technical specifications for cleanup remedies and technologies are designed. Remedial Action (RA) follows the remedial design phase and involves the actual construction or implementation phase of Superfund site cleanup. The RD/RA is based on the specifications described in the record of decision (ROD).
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RI/FS
Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study After a site is listed on the NPL, a remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) is performed at the site. The RI serves as the mechanism for collecting data, while the FS is the mechanism for the development, screening, and detailed evaluation of alternative remedial actions. The RI and FS are conducted concurrently. Data collected in the RI influence the development of remedial alternatives in the FS, which in turn affect the data needs and scope of treatability studies and additional field investigations.
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RMP
Risk Management PlansFacilities are required to submit risk management plans (RMP) to EPA. Risk management plans will be available to State and local governments and citizens to help them understand potential local chemical hazards and take steps to prevent accidents. The risk management program is administered by EPA's Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office (CEPPO).
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ROD
Record of DecisionThe Record of Decision (ROD) is a public document that explains which cleanup alternatives will be used to clean up a Superfund site. The ROD for sites listed on the NPL is created from information generated during the RI/FS.
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SARA
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization ActThe Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) amended the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) on October 17, 1986. SARA reflected EPA's experience in administering the complex Superfund program during its first six years and made several important changes and additions to the program.
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SCDM
Superfund Chemical Data MatrixThe Superfund Chemical Data Matrix (SCDM) is a source for factor values and benchmark values applied when evaluating potential National Priorities List (NPL) sites using the Hazard Ranking System (HRS).
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SDWA
Safe Drinking Water ActThe Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) ensures that our tap water is fit to drink. Passed in 1974, SDWA sets national drinking water standards for public systems that deliver water to the tap. SDWA is used with RCRA and CERCLA to protect and cleanup groundwater by setting water quality standards.
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SPCC
Spill Prevention, Control and CountermeasuresIn April 1995, EPA conducted a national survey of oil storage facilities potentially subject to its Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) regulation (40 CFR Part 112).
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STROLE
Superfund Enhanced State and Tribal Role InitiativeThe purpose of the Superfund Enhanced State and Tribal Role Initiative (STROLE) is to develop a comprehensive plan that EPA can implement to share Superfund program responsibilities with interested and capable states and tribes, to enable cleanup of more sites. EPA intends for this plan to promote flexibility in the management of contaminated sites consistent with the overall goal of protecting human health and the environment.
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SuperJTI
Superfund Job Training InitiativeThe Superfund Job Training Initiative's (SuperJTI) mission is to provide or support job training opportunities for economically disadvantaged citizens living in communities affected by Superfund sites, and encourages their employment in site cleanup activities.
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TAB
Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) helps communities to clean and redevelop properties that have been damaged or undervalued by environmental contamination. The purpose of these efforts is to create better jobs, increase the local tax base, improve neighborhood environments, and enhance the overall quality of life.
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TAG
Technical Assistance GrantsA Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) provides money for activities that help communities participate in decision-making at eligible Superfund sites. An initial grant up to $50,000 is available for any Superfund site that is on the National Priorities List (NPL) or proposed for listing on the NPL and a response action has begun.
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TIO
Technology Innovation OfficeThe Technology Innovation Office (TIO) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was created in 1990 to act as an advocate for new technologies. TIO's mission is to increase the applications of innovative treatment technologies to contaminated waste sites, soils, and groundwater.
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TOSC
Technical Outreach for Communities Technical Outreach for Communities (TOSC) uses educational and technical resources to help community groups understand the technical issues involving the hazardous waste sites in their midst. TOSC aims to empower communities to participate substantively in the decision-making process regarding their hazardous substance problems.
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ToxFAQs
Frequently Asked Questions About Contaminants Found at Hazardous Waste Sites ATSDR ToxFAQs is a series of summaries about hazardous substances being developed by the ATSDR Division of Toxicology. Answers are provided to the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about exposure to hazardous substances found around hazardous waste sites and the effects of exposure on human health.
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TRI
Toxic Release InventoryThe Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) database, contains information concerning waste management activities and the release of toxic chemicals by facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use said materials. Using this information, citizens, businesses, and governments can work together to protect the quality of their land, air, and water.
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TRW
Technical Review Workgroup for LeadThe Technical Review Workgroup for Lead (TRW) and the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic Model for Lead in Children (IEUBK) is an interoffice workgroup convened by the U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response/Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OSWER/OERR). Its goal is to support and promote consistent application of the best science in the field of lead (Pb) risk assessment at contaminated sites nationwide.
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TSCA
Toxic Substances Control ActThe Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), passed in 1976, requires tests of chemicals that may harm human health or the environment; reviews of new chemical substances; limits on the availability of some existing chemicals; and import certification standards to ensure that imported chemicals comply with domestic rules. TSCA bars the introduction of chemicals that may pose unreasonable risks to people or the environment, when the risks outweigh possible economic and social benefits. TSCA also regulates existing chemicals, particularly polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). For PCBs and a few other chemicals, TSCA prohibits or limits use and regulates handling, storage and disposal.
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UST
Underground Storage TankAn underground storage tank system (UST) is a tank and any underground piping connected to the tank that has at least 10 percent of its combined volume underground. Under RCRA, EPA has established regulatory programs to prevent, detect, and clean up releases from USTs containing petroleum or hazardous substances.
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