RCRA Corrective Action Program Vision/ Mission/ Goals for 2030

On this page:

• Background
• Developing New Vision/ Mission/ Goals for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Program
• 2030 Vision/Mission/Goals

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Background

The current corrective action program has been driven by aspirational goals, announced in May 2004, that were focused on meeting certain cleanup measures by the year 2020. These ambitious and farsighted goals in the early years of implementation of RCRA Corrective Action targeted achieving 95% completion of three important milestones, and the results are impressive.

• View the results of the 2020 Goals

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Developing New Vision/ Mission/ Goals for the RCRA Corrective Action Program

In 2020, the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) initiated a series of discussions to gather input from a wide range of interested parties into the development of a high-level vision, mission, and goals for the RCRA Corrective Action program over the next 10 years. ORCR hosted discussions with groups, including members of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC), community organizers, federal agencies, local governments through the Revitalizing Communities Workgroup of EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC), facility owner/operators, tribal partners and state partners, including the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO).

On August 19, 2020, EPA hosted a roundtable at which all interested parties involved in the initial discussions were invited to share their reactions and suggestions to the revised vision, mission, and goals. Feedback regarding the importance of focusing on protection of human health and the environment, long-term protectiveness of cleanups and revitalization of contaminated properties to support current and future uses was taken into account in making final revisions.  EPA announced the final vision, mission, and goals for the program at the ASTSWMO Virtual Corrective Action Conference on September 1, 2020.

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2030 Vision/ Mission/ Goals

• Vision
• Mission
• Goals
• Updates on the Goals 

Vision

RCRA Corrective Action cleanups support healthy and sustainable communities where people and the environment are protected from hazardous contamination today and into the future.

Mission

EPA, states, and tribal partners work together to ensure that owners and operators of hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities conduct effective and efficient cleanups to protect human health and the environment, support continued use, and make land ready for reuse including, if necessary, placement of controls to protect communities into the future.

Goals

1. Through 2030, the RCRA Corrective Action Program will ensure that RCRA cleanups are initiated and completed efficiently and expeditiously. Commitments regarding what work is planned and what progress is made will be visible to the public. An ambitious universe of cleanups will be identified for completion by 2030.
   1. For commitments and tracking, the program will use the relevant Corrective Action Program measures and will use flexible approaches appropriate for each region and state. 
       
2. By 2030, the RCRA Corrective Action Program will eliminate or control adverse impacts beyond facility boundaries at RCRA Corrective Action facilities wherever practicable and the program will focus attention on cleanups that will not meet this target.
   1. The program will develop procedures to:
      • identify and address emerging risk issues (e.g., vapor intrusion, evolving science), and
      • address timelines for facilities brought into the program post-2020.
         
3. By 2030, the RCRA Corrective Action Program will ensure or confirm that land within facility boundaries at RCRA Corrective Action facilities will be safe for continued use or reasonably foreseeable new uses wherever practicable and the program will focus attention on cleanups that will not meet this target.
   1. The program will develop procedures to address timelines for facilities brought into the program post-2020.
       
4. By 2025, the RCRA Corrective Action Program will identify the key elements of effective Long Term Stewardship for Corrective Action cleanups, and regions and states will have approaches in place to ensure implementation of the key elements.
   1. The program will develop procedures to leverage interest and investment in new or existing commercial and community entities to sustain Long Term Stewardship controls.
       
5. By 2022, program procedures will be in place to regularly adjust the universe of facilities in the cleanup pipeline to reflect current program priorities.

Updates on the Goals

Goal 4: EPA Issues Key Elements  

On June 27, 2022, EPA issued a memorandum and document that identifies and describes nine "Key Elements of Long-Term Stewardship for RCRA Corrective Action." These elements, listed below, provide a general framework for regulators to establish and implement processes to ensure effective long-term stewardship at RCRA facilities. Read through the June 27th memorandum and document here (pdf) (333 KB).

Nine Key Elements

1. Legal Authorities.
2. Information Regarding Engineering and Institutional Controls.
3. Long-Term Facility Oversight, Monitoring, and Maintenance.
4. Recordkeeping and Tracking.
5. Meaningful Engagement and Consultation.
6. Funding.
7. Enforcement.
8. Enforceable Mechanisms.
9. Dedicated Resources.