U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the federal agency that oversees enforcement of federal laws governing pollution and environmental hazards. The EPA asserts in the following viewpoint that the Superfund program—the common name for the 1980 Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)—has succeeded in cleaning up most toxic waste sites on its priority list. According to the agency’s environmental indicators, human populations living near toxic waste sites have been protected, numerous sites have been completely remediated, and toxic waste has been successfully treated and disposed of. Furthermore, the EPA claims that the Superfund program is growing more successful each year.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is the Superfund’s mission, as stated by the EPA?
2. According to...