42 USC 9620 - Federal facilities

U.S Code last checked for updates: Apr 28, 2024

§ 9620.

Federal facilities

(a)

Application of chapter to Federal Government

(1)

In general

(2)

Application of requirements to Federal facilities

(3)

Exceptions

(4)

State laws

(b)

Notice

(c)

Federal Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket

The Administrator shall establish a special Federal Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “docket”) which shall contain each of the following:

(1)

All information submitted under section 3016 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act [42 U.S.C. 6937] and subsection (b) of this section regarding any Federal facility and notice of each subsequent action taken under this chapter with respect to the facility.

(2)

Information submitted by each department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States under section 3005 or 3010 of such Act [42 U.S.C. 6925, 6930].

(3)

Information submitted by the department, agency, or instrumentality under section 9603 of this title.

The docket shall be available for public inspection at reasonable times. Six months after establishment of the docket and every 6 months thereafter, the Administrator shall publish in the Federal Register a list of the Federal facilities which have been included in the docket during the immediately preceding 6-month period. Such publication shall also indicate where in the appropriate regional office of the Environmental Protection Agency additional information may be obtained with respect to any facility on the docket. The Administrator shall establish a program to provide information to the public with respect to facilities which are included in the docket under this subsection.

(d)

Assessment and evaluation

(1)

In general

The Administrator shall take steps to assure that a preliminary assessment is conducted for each facility on the docket. Following such preliminary assessment, the Administrator shall, where appropriate—

(A)

evaluate such facilities in accordance with the criteria established in accordance with section 9605 of this title under the National Contingency Plan for determining priorities among releases; and

(B)

include such facilities on the National Priorities List maintained under such plan if the facility meets such criteria.

(2)

Application of criteria

(A)

In general

(B)

Response under other law

(3)

Completion

(e)

Required action by department

(1)

RI/FS

(2)

Commencement of remedial action; interagency agreement

(3)

Completion of remedial actions

(4)

Contents of agreement

Each interagency agreement under this subsection shall include, but shall not be limited to, each of the following:

(A)

A review of alternative remedial actions and selection of a remedial action by the head of the relevant department, agency, or instrumentality and the Administrator or, if unable to reach agreement on selection of a remedial action, selection by the Administrator.

(B)

A schedule for the completion of each such remedial action.

(C)

Arrangements for long-term operation and maintenance of the facility.

(5)

Annual report

Each department, agency, or instrumentality responsible for compliance with this section shall furnish an annual report to the Congress concerning its progress in implementing the requirements of this section. Such reports shall include, but shall not be limited to, each of the following items:

(A)

A report on the progress in reaching interagency agreements under this section.

(B)

The specific cost estimates and budgetary proposals involved in each interagency agreement.

(C)

A brief summary of the public comments regarding each proposed interagency agreement.

(D)

A description of the instances in which no agreement was reached.

(E)

A report on progress in conducting investigations and studies under paragraph (1).

(F)

A report on progress in conducting remedial actions.

(G)

A report on progress in conducting remedial action at facilities which are not listed on the National Priorities List.

With respect to instances in which no agreement was reached within the required time period, the department, agency, or instrumentality filing the report under this paragraph shall include in such report an explanation of the reasons why no agreement was reached. The annual report required by this paragraph shall also contain a detailed description on a State-by-State basis of the status of each facility subject to this section, including a description of the hazard presented by each facility, plans and schedules for initiating and completing response action, enforcement status (where appropriate), and an explanation of any postponements or failure to complete response action. Such reports shall also be submitted to the affected States.

(6)

Settlements with other parties

(f)

State and local participation

(g)

Transfer of authorities

(h)

Property transferred by Federal agencies

(1)

Notice

(2)

Form of notice; regulations

(3)

Contents of certain deeds

(A)

In general

After the last day of the 6-month period beginning on the effective date of regulations under paragraph (2) of this subsection, in the case of any real property owned by the United States on which any hazardous substance was stored for one year or more, known to have been released, or disposed of, each deed entered into for the transfer of such property by the United States to any other person or entity shall contain—

(i)

to the extent such information is available on the basis of a complete search of agency files—

(I)

a notice of the type and quantity of such hazardous substances,

(II)

notice of the time at which such storage, release, or disposal took place, and

(III)

a description of the remedial action taken, if any;

(ii)

a covenant warranting that—

(I)

all remedial action necessary to protect human health and the environment with respect to any such substance remaining on the property has been taken before the date of such transfer, and

(II)

any additional remedial action found to be necessary after the date of such transfer shall be conducted by the United States; and

(iii)

a clause granting the United States access to the property in any case in which remedial action or corrective action is found to be necessary after the date of such transfer.

(B)

Covenant requirements

(C)

Deferral

(i)

In general

The Administrator, with the concurrence of the Governor of the State in which the facility is located (in the case of real property at a Federal facility that is listed on the National Priorities List), or the Governor of the State in which the facility is located (in the case of real property at a Federal facility not listed on the National Priorities List) may defer the requirement of subparagraph (A)(ii)(I) with respect to the property if the Administrator or the Governor, as the case may be, determines that the property is suitable for transfer, based on a finding that—

(I)

the property is suitable for transfer for the use intended by the transferee, and the intended use is consistent with protection of human health and the environment;

(II)

the deed or other agreement proposed to govern the transfer between the United States and the transferee of the property contains the assurances set forth in clause (ii);

(III)

the Federal agency requesting deferral has provided notice, by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the vicinity of the property, of the proposed transfer and of the opportunity for the public to submit, within a period of not less than 30 days after the date of the notice, written comments on the suitability of the property for transfer; and

(IV)

the deferral and the transfer of the property will not substantially delay any necessary response action at the property.

(ii)

Response action assurances

With regard to a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance for which a Federal agency is potentially responsible under this section, the deed or other agreement proposed to govern the transfer shall contain assurances that—

(I)

provide for any necessary restrictions on the use of the property to ensure the protection of human health and the environment;

(II)

provide that there will be restrictions on use necessary to ensure that required remedial investigations, response action, and oversight activities will not be disrupted;

(III)

provide that all necessary response action will be taken and identify the schedules for investigation and completion of all necessary response action as approved by the appropriate regulatory agency; and

(IV)

provide that the Federal agency responsible for the property subject to transfer will submit a budget request to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget that adequately addresses schedules for investigation and completion of all necessary response action, subject to congressional authorizations and appropriations.

(iii)

Warranty

(iv)

Federal responsibility

(4)

Identification of uncontaminated property

(A)

In the case of real property to which this paragraph applies (as set forth in subparagraph (E)), the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States with jurisdiction over the property shall identify the real property on which no hazardous substances and no petroleum products or their derivatives were known to have been released or disposed of. Such identification shall be based on an investigation of the real property to determine or discover the obviousness of the presence or likely presence of a release or threatened release of any hazardous substance or any petroleum product or its derivatives, including aviation fuel and motor oil, on the real property. The identification shall consist, at a minimum, of a review of each of the following sources of information concerning the current and previous uses of the real property:

(i)

A detailed search of Federal Government records pertaining to the property.

(ii)

Recorded chain of title documents regarding the real property.

(iii)

Aerial photographs that may reflect prior uses of the real property and that are reasonably obtainable through State or local government agencies.

(iv)

A visual inspection of the real property and any buildings, structures, equipment, pipe, pipeline, or other improvements on the real property, and a visual inspection of properties immediately adjacent to the real property.

(v)

A physical inspection of property adjacent to the real property, to the extent permitted by owners or operators of such property.

(vi)

Reasonably obtainable Federal, State, and local government records of each adjacent facility where there has been a release of any hazardous substance or any petroleum product or its derivatives, including aviation fuel and motor oil, and which is likely to cause or contribute to a release or threatened release of any hazardous substance or any petroleum product or its derivatives, including aviation fuel and motor oil, on the real property.

(vii)

Interviews with current or former employees involved in operations on the real property.

Such identification shall also be based on sampling, if appropriate under the circumstances. The results of the identification shall be provided immediately to the Administrator and State and local government officials and made available to the public.

(B)

The identification required under subparagraph (A) is not complete until concurrence in the results of the identification is obtained, in the case of real property that is part of a facility on the National Priorities List, from the Administrator, or, in the case of real property that is not part of a facility on the National Priorities List, from the appropriate State official. In the case of a concurrence which is required from a State official, the concurrence is deemed to be obtained if, within 90 days after receiving a request for the concurrence, the State official has not acted (by either concurring or declining to concur) on the request for concurrence.

(C)

(i)

Except as provided in clauses (ii), (iii), and (iv), the identification and concurrence required under subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, shall be made at least 6 months before the termination of operations on the real property.

(ii)

In the case of real property described in subparagraph (E)(i)(II) on which operations have been closed or realigned or scheduled for closure or realignment pursuant to a base closure law described in subparagraph (E)(ii)(I) or (E)(ii)(II) by October 19, 1992, the identification and concurrence required under subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, shall be made not later than 18 months after October 19, 1992.

(iii)

In the case of real property described in subparagraph (E)(i)(II) on which operations are closed or realigned or become scheduled for closure or realignment pursuant to the base closure law described in subparagraph (E)(ii)(II) after October 19, 1992, the identification and concurrence required under subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, shall be made not later than 18 months after the date by which a joint resolution disapproving the closure or realignment of the real property under section 2904(b) of such base closure law must be enacted, and such a joint resolution has not been enacted.

(iv)

In the case of real property described in subparagraphs (E)(i)(II) on which operations are closed or realigned pursuant to a base closure law described in subparagraph (E)(ii)(III) or (E)(ii)(IV), the identification and concurrence required under subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, shall be made not later than 18 months after the date on which the real property is selected for closure or realignment pursuant to such a base closure law.

(D)

In the case of the sale or other transfer of any parcel of real property identified under subparagraph (A), the deed entered into for the sale or transfer of such property by the United States to any other person or entity shall contain—

(i)

a covenant warranting that any response action or corrective action found to be necessary after the date of such sale or transfer shall be conducted by the United States; and

(ii)

a clause granting the United States access to the property in any case in which a response action or corrective action is found to be necessary after such date at such property, or such access is necessary to carry out a response action or corrective action on adjoining property.

(E)

(i)

This paragraph applies to—

(I)

real property owned by the United States and on which the United States plans to terminate Federal Government operations, other than real property described in subclause (II); and

(II)

real property that is or has been used as a military installation and on which the United States plans to close or realign military operations pursuant to a base closure law.

(ii)

For purposes of this paragraph, the term “base closure law” includes the following:

(I)

Title II of the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Act (Public Law 100–526; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note).

(II)

The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (part A of title XXIX of Public Law 101–510; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note).

(III)

Section 2687 of title 10.

(IV)

Any provision of law authorizing the closure or realignment of a military installation enacted on or after October 19, 1992.

(F)

Nothing in this paragraph shall affect, preclude, or otherwise impair the termination of Federal Government operations on real property owned by the United States.

(5)

Notification of States regarding certain leases

(i)

Obligations under Solid Waste Disposal Act

(j)

National security

(1)

Site specific Presidential orders

(2)

Classified information

(Pub. L. 96–510, title I, § 120, as added Pub. L. 99–499, title I, § 120(a), Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1666; amended Pub. L. 102–426, §§ 3–5, Oct. 19, 1992, 106 Stat. 2175–2177; Pub. L. 104–106, div. B, title XXVIII, § 2834, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 559; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title III, §§ 330, 331, 334, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2484, 2486.)

cite as: 42 USC 9620