Opinion ID: 1435262
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Investigation and Cleanup Efforts

Text: Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq., the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed an Administrative Consent Order, effective November 23, 1988, that established a schedule to investigate and remediate offsite groundwater contamination. In 1994, the EPA placed PGDP on its National Priorities List, the Agency's list of contaminated sites designated as highest priority for cleanup. From 1988 through 1999, the Department of Energy spent about $388 million on efforts to identify and remove contamination in the groundwater, surface water, and soils within and outside PGDP's boundaries. The April 2000 GAO report estimated the cost of completing the cleanup at $1.3 billion from fiscal year 2000 through fiscal year 2010.