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Environmental Cleanup Program

DEQ's Environmental Cleanup Program protects human health and the environment by identifying, investigating, and remediating sites contaminated with hazardous substances. The program's objective is to improve sites to the point where no further cleanup action is necessary - as inexpensively and quickly as possible.

Program components

The Environmental Cleanup Program incorporates several sub-programs: Site Assessment, Voluntary Cleanup, Independent Cleanup, Brownfields, Orphans and Site Response. DEQ offers Prospective Purchaser Agreements to address environmental liability concerns associated with property transactions. There is also an Emergency Response Program to oversee short-term cleanups of chemical spills resulting from accidents or natural disasters. For information on these programs, click on the links to the left.
 
The program also includes investigating and cleaning up petroleum releases from underground storage tanks.

Risk-based approach

Operating under statutes/rules designed to prevent unacceptable exposure risks, the program uses risk-assessment tools to develop site-specific cleanup levels. These levels depend on the nature and extent of contamination, current and reasonably likely future uses of land and water, and related factors.
 

Cleanup program improvements

DEQ’s Environmental Cleanup Program had several improvements based on an outcome-based management approach and in response to customer feedback.
 

Registration requirements for geologists and engineers

Contact

For more information, contact the Environmental Cleanup Program

Email or call 1-800-452-4011

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