Superfund Reserves Dwindle; Federal Money to Become More Crucial

Lynn Schenkman

Washington, D.C. -- The General Accounting Office (GAO) says it expects a trust fund earmarked for Superfund cleanup will run dry in October, according to news sources. The industry-sponsored reserve, which has declined from $2 billion in 1995 to a few hundred million dollars this year, has dwindled rapidly partially because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to add an increasing number of cleanup sites to the National Priority List. The GAO says the need for federal funding for the Superfund program will escalate as alternative funding diminishes.