Which agency has the authority to respond to hazardous substance releases under CERCLA?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the agency with the authority to respond to hazardous substance releases under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund. CERCLA was enacted in 1980 to address the cleanup of sites contaminated with hazardous substances and to provide federal authority for responding to releases of such substances that pose a threat to public health or the environment.

The EPA's role is critical as it coordinates the response efforts, conducts site assessments, and oversees the cleanup processes to ensure that contaminated sites are managed properly and public safety is prioritized. The agency has specific protocols and resources in place for responding to environmental emergencies, making it the lead agency for these situations under CERCLA. This includes not only immediate response but also long-term remediation efforts and enforcement actions related to responsible parties.

Other entities such as local police, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Health may have roles in emergency response and public health, but they do not hold the authority to address hazardous substance releases in the context dictated by CERCLA. Their responsibilities are focused on immediate response, transportation safety, or broader health-related issues rather than the specialized environmental cleanup and regulatory enforcement that the EPA manages.