Protecting Health and Improving the Environment
- Milestone: 200 Days
- Milestone: 100 Days
Why? The funding will accelerate ongoing cleanup activities or initiate new construction projects at 20 Superfund sites, boosting local economies by creating and maintaining jobs while also protecting human health and the environment.
The federal Superfund program was created in 1980 to clean up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites that pose unacceptable risks to human health and the environment. Superfund sites are often found in industrial areas hardest hit by the recession and often result from decades of contamination. Due to the complexity of the site contamination, it may take years to address. Contaminants are diverse and can affect soil, groundwater, surface water and sediments. Communities near Superfund sites may run the risk of polluted water sources and hazardous environmental situations that can cause a wide range of health problems.
Superfund cleanups are major construction projects that employ thousands of workers across the nation. The impact of these projects will be significant in terms of job creation, acceleration of existing projects, investment in new projects, faster return of sites to productive use and potential acceleration of "green remediation" technology.
THE RECOVERY BILL
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a strategic and significant investment in our country’s future. The Act will save and create jobs immediately while also laying the foundation for a robust and sustainable 21st century economy by modernizing our health care, improving our schools, modernizing our infrastructure, and investing in the clean energy technologies of the future.
RECOVERY STORIES
What does recovery look like in your community? Share your photos, videos or stories about recovery projects happening in your area and show us how the Recovery Act is impacting your community.
