Interim Guidance: CERCLA Administrative Tools for Good Samaritans at Orphan Mine Sites

Memorandum to assist the Regions in the implementation of the Good Samaritan Initiative and focuses on administrative tools developed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, commonly referred to as Superfund).  Memorandum includes a model comfort/status letter for good samaritans and a model settlement agreement and order on consent for removal actions by good samaritans at orphan mine sites. Issued 6/6/2007.

In August 2019, the EPA issued the  2019 Policy on the Issuance of Superfund Comfort/Status Letters. The revised policy discusses the background of the EPA’s issuance of Superfund comfort/status letters and describes the purpose and intended use of these letters. It does not affect the guidelines specific to the use of a Good Samaritan letter.

The Model Good Samaritan Comfort/Status Letter is available in Word format from the Cleanup Enforcement Model Language and Sample Documents Database.

• Interim Guiding Principles for Good Samaritan Projects at Orphan Mine Sites and Transmittal of CERCLA Administrative Tools for Good Samaritans (pdf) (255.92 KB)
• Model Good Samaritan Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent for Removal Actions at Orphan Mine Sites (pdf) (116.3 KB)