Headquarters Remedy Consultation
The EPA Office of Superfund Remediation Technology Innovation (OSRTI) is the Headquarters Office for the Superfund Program. The office provides support to Regional offices in policy interpretation and requirements and provides site-specific support to ensure that decision documents comply with the Statutory and regulatory requirements and consider Agency policy to the extent appropriate. Various initiatives and policy memorandum have been issued that direct the Region to consult with OSRTI, generally prior to the proposed action phase. Below is a compilation of current initiatives and Agency policy memorandum that request OSRTI consultation.
GENERAL DIRECTIVES
National Remedy Review Board (NRRB)
Contaminated Sediments Technical Advisory Group (CSTAG)
Overarching Guidance
Removal Action
SITE TYPE OR ACTION SPECIFIC DIRECTIVES
Dioxin
Groundwater
Lead
Mercury
Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE)
Radioactive Materials
Sediment
Structures / Buildings
TI Waiver (Groundwater)
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General Directives
National Remedy Review Board (NRRB)
EPA's National Remedy
Review Board (NRRB)
Created in 1996, the NRRB reviews proposed Superfund cleanup decisions
to assure they are consistent with Superfund regulations and guidance,
and to verify that remedy selection is cost effective. Lists criteria
required for site review and links to documents summarizing the results
of NRRB-reviewed proposed actions.
Contaminated Sediments Technical Advisory Group (CSTAG)
"Changes
to the Roles and Responsibilities
of the Contaminated Sediments Technical Advisory Group (CSTAG)." This
memorandum supplements OSWER Directive 9285.6-08: "Principles for
Managing Contaminated Sediment Risks at Hazardous Waste Sites", issued
February 12, 2002, by defining the level of CSTAG involvement in the
National Remedy Review Board review of proposed plans at large
contaminated sediment sites.
Sep 9, 2009 [4 pp]
OSWER 9285.6-20
PDF Searchable (655 K)
Overarching Guidance
"Consolidated Guide to Consultation Procedures
for Superfund Response Decisions" (May 1997)
Developed to clarify and consolidate the various EPA Headquarters
consultation procedures established for response selection decision
making. It specifies continuation of the consultation procedures
established in 1996 for the four focus areas (see OSWER 9200.1-17
below).
EPA 540/F-97/009,OSWER 9200.1-18FS, NTIS:PB97-963216
HTML
"Focus Areas for Headquarters Support for
Regional Decision-Making" (May 1996)
Identifies selected issue areas that represent the current focus of
OSRTI's national Regional coordination effort. These areas include risk
management and cost-effectiveness, decision documentation, ground water
policy, lead policy, and presumptive remedies implementation. [24 pp]
OSWER 9200.1-17
PDF
Image (1 MB)
"National Consistency in Superfund Remedy
Selection" (September 1996)
This directive to Regional Division Directors requests that program
managers fully use existing tools and consultation opportunities to
promote national consistency in remedy selection. [6 pp]
OSWER 9200.0-21
PDF Searchable (48 K)
Removal Actions at Non-NPL Sites and Use of Non-Time Critical Removals
"Guidance on Non-NPL Removal Actions
Involving
Nationally Significant or Precedent-Setting Issues" (March 1989)
Outlines the defining criteria to determine if a non-NPL
removal action
requires Headquarters concurrence. Also details procedural requirements
that should accommodate removals belonging to five categories not
requiring concurrence. For mercury policies, see updated directive:
"Concurrence Policy For Mercury Removals" (5/98) [9 pp]
OSWER 9360.0-19
PDF Searchable (69 K)
Will guide project managers during the decision process of selecting between remedial and removal actions. Also specifies the circumstances under which site managers must consult with Headquarters before performing a non-time-critical removal. [7 pp]
OSWER 9360.0-40P
PDF Searchable (69 K)
"Concurrence Policy for Mercury Removals" (May
1998)
Modifies Headquarters consultation requirements concerning removal
actions addressing certain residential mercury contaminations. Mercury
contamination will no longer be considered "nationally significant"
unless the contamination is contained within the building structure, in
which case consultation requirements should be followed in accordance
with ""Response Actions at Sites with Contamination Inside Buildings"
(August 1993). [3 pp]
OSWER 9360.1-05
PDF Searchable
(21 K)
Specific Site-Type or Contaminant Directives
Dioxin
"Headquarters Consultation for Dioxin Sites"
(December 1996)
Requests that Regional Offices consult with EPA Headquarters on sites
where remediation goals are to be developed for dioxin in soils. [2 pp]
EPA 540/F-97/014, OSWER9200.4-19, NTIS:PB97-963225INX
PDF Searchable
(32 K)
Groundwater and Technical Impracticability (TI)
"Summary of Key Existing EPA CERCLA Policies for
Groundwater Restoration" (June 2009)
This Directive provides a compilation of some key existing EPA
groundwater policies to assist EPA Regions in making groundwater
restoration decisions pursuant to CERCLA and the NCP. It
addresses:
Whether CERCLA remedial action is warranted, Appropriate role of
institutional controls (ICs), Groundwater classification and Beneficial
use policy, Remedial action cleanup levels and Groundwater point of
compliance. [11 pp]
OSWER Directive 9283.1-33.
PDF
Searchable (2.5 M)
"Superfund Ground Water RODs: Implementing
Change This Fiscal Year" (July 1995)
Addresses policies concerning Records of Decision (RODs) for sites with
ground-water contamination. Emphasizes that Technical Impracticability
(TI) waivers will generally be appropriate for sites with contaminated
ground water where restoration to drinking water standards is
technically impracticable (eg. DNAPL sites), or the Region must inlcude
a written justification for departure from this policy. [2 pp]
EPA-540-F-99-005, OSWER 9335.5-03P, NTIS:PB99-963220
PDF Searchable
(34 K)
Lead
"Lead Site Response Decisions: Formation of the
Lead Sites Consultation Group" (May 1997)
Reiterates the 3 site criteria that could trigger review of
lead-related Proposed Plans and summarizes the consultation
requirements for such sites. [5 pp]
OSWER 9355.4-26
PDF Searchable
(57 K)
"Administrative Reforms for Lead Risk
Assessment" (April 1996)
Includes a request for information on residential lead risk assessments
and a draft plan for achieving these goals. [38 pp]
OSWER 9200.4-20, EPA 540-F-97-015, NTIS: PB97-963226
PDF
Image (1 MB)
Mercury
"Concurrence Policy for Mercury Removals" (May
1998)
Modifies Headquarters consultation requirements concerning removal
actions addressing certain residential mercury contaminations. Mercury
contamination will no longer be considered "nationally significant"
unless the contamination is contained within the building structure, in
which case consultation requirements should be followed in accordance
with ""Response Actions at Sites with Contamination Inside Buildings"
(August 1993). [3 pp]
OSWER 9360.1-05
PDF Searchable
(21 K)
Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE)
"Headquarters Consultation for Addressing Methyl
Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) Contamination Under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)" (May
1997)
Requests Headquarters consultation when considering the use of CERCLA
authority to address MTBE contamination.
OSWER 9200.4-21 [2 p]
PDF Searchable
(19 K)
Radioactive Materials
"Headquarters Consultation for Radioactively
Contaminated Sites" (July 2000)
Requests that Regional Offices consult with EPA Headquarters on CERCLA
response decisions involving on-site management of radioactive
materials or when there is a potential national precedent setting issue
related to a radioactive substance. [4 pp]
OSWER 9200.1-33P, NTIS: PB2000 963304
PDF
Image (419 K)
Sediment
"Changes to the Roles and Responsibilities
of the Contaminated Sediments Technical Advisory Group (CSTAG)."
This
memorandum supplements OSWER Directive 9285.6-08: "Principles for
Managing Contaminated Sediment Risks at Hazardous Waste Sites", issued
February 12, 2002, by defining the level of CSTAG involvement in the
National Remedy Review Board review of proposed plans at large
contaminated sediment sites.
Sep 9, 2009 [4 pp]
OSWER 9285.6-20
PDF Searchable (655 K)
"Principles for Managing Contaminated Sediment Risks at Hazardous Waste
Sites"1
Presents eleven risk management principles
to use as guidelines for site assessment and response when addressing
contaminated sediment sites. This directive is consistent with the
strategies of the NRC 2001 report "A Risk management Strategy for
PCB-Contaminated Sediments." New Headquarters consultation requests are
included. [8 pp]
OSWER 9285.6-08
PDF Searchable
(43.2 K)
Structures/Buildings
"Response Actions that Affect Residential or
Commercial Structures" (May 1998)
Specifies for Regions to consult with OSWER, through their OSRTI
Regional Accelerated Response Center, before making any final decisions
regarding a response which will impact a residential or commercial
building. [2 pp]
OSWER 9360.3-20, EPA 540/F-98/029, NTIS:PB98-963243
PDF Searchable (30 K)
"Response Actions at Sites with Contamination
Inside Buildings" (August 1993)
Addresses the use of the CERCLA authority to conduct response actions
within buildings that are contaminated. Includes a flow-chart that
designates the sequence of steps to take when addressing indoor
contamination scenarios. Headquarters consultation requirements are
defined. See updated policies concerning mercury contamination in
"Concurrence Policy For Mercury Removals" (5/98). [6 pp]
OSWER 9360.3-12
PDF Searchable (102 K)
Superseded Documents
1 This document supersedes: "Fiscal Year 2001 Appropriations Conference Report Language on Contaminated Sediments" - Memorandum (March, 2001) OSWER 9200.0-36
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