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The Revitalization Handbook
Revitalization Handbook References
Brownfields & Land Revitalization Cleanup Policy & Guidance
Brownfields & Land Revitalization Cleanup Enforcement
"Revitalizing Contaminated Sites: Addressing Liability Concerns (The Revitalization Handbook)"(2011 Edition) summarizes the federal statutory provisions and EPA policy and guidance documents that address the potential liability concerns of parties involved in the cleanup and revitalization of contaminated sites.
First issued in 1998, EPA updated and reissued the Handbook in 2011 to discuss the statutory protections under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, commonly known as Superfund), initiatives and guidance, and potential liability concerns under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
On this page:
Recent Developments
Since the 2011 updates were published, EPA issued new guidance and tools to clarify and address liability issues.
- Enforcement Discretion Guidance Regarding the Affiliation Language of CERCLA's Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser and Contiguous Property Owner Liability Protections (PDF) (11pp, 180K) (September 21, 2011). Certain liability protections require that a party who wishes to be treated as exempt from Superfund liability cannot be ''affiliated with" another party who is potentially liable under Superfund at a facility. This guidance clarifies EPA's enforcement discretion regarding the affiliation requirement.
- Siting Renewable Energy on Contaminated Properties: Addressing Liability Concerns (PDF) (EPA-330-F-11-001, 13pp, 292K) (March 2011). Fact sheet provides answers to some common questions that developers of renewable energy projects on contaminated properties may have regarding potential laiblity for cleaning up contaminated properties.
EPA plans to incorporate the above and future documents into a future edition of the handbook.
Access to the 2011 print edition
Download the complete 2011 print edition of the Revitalization Handbook
- "Revitalizing Contaminated Sites: Addressing Liability Concerns (The Revitalization Handbook)" (PDF) (102pp, 1.56MB)
View or Download sections of the 2011 print edition of the Revitalization Handbook
- Cover Page, Table of Content, Preface & Purpose (PDF) (8pp, 281K)
- Overview of CERCLA and RCRA (PDF) (3pp, 98K)
- Liability (PDF) (2pp, 94K)
- Statutory Protections and EPA Policies for the Cleanup, Reuse, and Revitalization of Contaminated Sites (PDF) (16pp, 150K)
- Site-Specific EPA Tools to Address Status Liability Concerns, and/or Perceived Stigma (PDF) (7pp, 116K)
- Other Considerations for Entities Seeking to Clean Up, Reuse and Revitalize Contaminated Property (PDF) (10pp, 124K)
- Appendices
Appendix A - The "Common Elements Guidance" issued March 6, 2003 (PDF) (23pp, 384K)
Appendix B - Top 10 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Superfund Site (PDF) (9pp, 697K)
Appendix C - CERCLA Liability and Local Government Acquisitions and Other Activities (PDF) (13pp, 300K)
Appendix D - Brownfields Enforcement and Land Revitalization Policy and Guidance Documents (PDF) (9pp, 126K)
Appendix E - Contact Information (PDF) (2pp, 86K)