Superfund: NPL Deletion Guidance and Policy

Deletion of sites from the NPL may occur once all response actions are complete and all cleanup goals have been achieved. EPA is responsible for processing deletions with concurrence from the State. Deleted sites may still require five-year reviews to assess protectiveness. If future site conditions warrant, additional response actions can be taken, using the Superfund Trust Fund or by Potentially Responsible Parties. Relisting on the NPL is not necessary; however, sites can be restored to the NPL if extensive response work is required. EPA can also delete portions of sites that meet deletion criteria.

Deleting Sites from the National Priorities List

Close Out Procedures for National Priorities List Sites Guidance

EPA’s 2011 Close Out Procedures for National Priorities List Sites guidance describes the process for accomplishing remedial action completion, construction completion, site completion, partial deletion and site deletion for NPL sites.

• Go to Close Out Procedures for National Priorities List Sites

Partial Deletion of Sites Listed on the National Priorities List

The Partial Deletion Rule, which allows the EPA to delete portions of NPL sites, provided that deletion criteria are met, was published in the Federal Register on November 1, 1995. Previously, EPA’s policy had been to delete sites only after cleanup of the entire site has been completed. However, waiting to delete an entire site does not communicate the successful cleanup of portions of the site. Total site cleanup may take many years, while portions of the site may have been cleaned up and may be available for productive use. Such a portion may be a defined geographic area of the site, or may be a specific medium at the site, e.g., surface soil, depending on the nature or extent of the release(s).

• Notice of Policy Change: Partial Deletion of Sites Listed on the National Priorities List (60 FR 55466)

Conducting Remedial Action at Deleted Sites

On rare occasion, further response action at a site may be warranted to address a release or substantial threat of release into the environment after a site has been deleted.

• Conducting Remedial Actions at Sites Deleted from the National Priorities List (May 2007) (PDF)(2 pp, 465 K)

Deferring to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facilities and NPL Deletion

• Policy for Non-Federal Facilities   (60 FR 14641, March 20, 1995)
• Policy Revised for Federal Facilities(62 FR 62523, November 24, 1997)

Responsiveness Summary Template

The template below is for use in documenting the response to adverse public comments received on a proposed deletion or partial deletion action.

• Responsiveness Summary (.DOCX)(1 pg, 21 K)