(Lenexa, Kan., Aug. 7, 2017) - EPA is awarding $327,660 to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), as part of a Superfund Combined Cooperative Agreement (SFCCA) that will enable IDNR to continue active participation in response actions at hazardous waste sites throughout the state. The cooperative agreement includes core, pre-remedial, and support agency activities.

“Working closely with our state partner agencies is fundamental to successful environmental stewardship,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “This grant will allow the state of Iowa to continue to strengthen their capacity to clean up hazardous waste sites and to work collaboratively with EPA.”

SFCCAs are a legal instrument and partnering mechanism within the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), which allow EPA to award funding to states to work with the Agency in determining, planning, and conducting a response to a release or potential release of a hazardous substance. Allowable activities include the overall implementation, coordination, enforcement, training, community relations, site inventory and assessment efforts, and administration of remedial efforts, as authorized by CERCLA.

These cooperative agreements provide support and allow for collaborative partnering between federal and state entities. This collaboration addresses challenging environmental issues to ensure that regulatory requirements are met, workload is balanced between EPA and states, and state perspectives are fully considered when engaging with local communities and selecting environmental remedies.

Under the pre-remedial portion of the SFCCA, IDNR projects that approximately 30-50 Initial Site Screenings may be conducted during the fiscal year 2017 project period. IDNR also estimates roughly 18 Extended Site Screenings will be completed during this project period. These activities allow baseline information to be collected, and direct environmental work to the correct program.

As part of the Support Agency portion of the fiscal year 2017 SFCCA, IDNR currently provides oversight at 27 National Priorities List (NPL) sites within Iowa. Support Agency activities are those conducted by IDNR to ensure their meaningful and substantial involvement in remedial and response activities at sites listed on the NPL in Iowa. Site visits, participation in environmental reviews, provision of information on state requirements, and other Support Agency functions allow for meaningful state input in the decision-making process, and assist EPA in monitoring site progress.

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