Subject: Five-Year Review

Evaluation of Risks to Federal Facility Superfund Site Remedies from Wildfires

According to the EPA, 13 million people live within three miles of a federal facility Superfund site. It is important that the EPA understand when cleanup remedies at these sites may be threatened. If the remedies fail or are otherwise impaired, contaminants may be released into the surrounding communities, and the federal funds expended to implement the remedies may be wasted. To that end, the EPA OIG is issuing a limited series of reviews to help identify any such threats. This is the third report in that series. The first, which addresses sea-level rise and storm surge risks, was issued in June 2025. We issued the second, which addresses inland flooding risks, simultaneously with this report, which addresses wildfire risks.

ASTSWMO Risk Mitigation Practices Fact Sheet

Risk mitigation practices (RMP) at Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) federal facility sites are critical for addressing environmental contamination efficiently and responsibly. These practices involve measures to mitigate risks posed by hazardous substances while long-term remediation plans are developed and implemented. Some examples discussed include access restrictions, interim land use controls, dig notifications, and public awareness. The purpose of this Fact Sheet is to help regulators identify when RMP should be considered to mitigate environmental impacts and to identify potential existing resources available. This Fact Sheet recommends regulators consider RMP at all federal facility CERCLA sites where such practices will reduce risk, prevent the continued migration of contamination, be cost effective, and help build community trust. The …

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EPA Federal Facilities Superfund Program – RPM Bulletin 2024-02 Developing a Crosswalk between Legacy and PFAS Sites

The purpose of this document is to assist United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Remedial Project Managers (RPMs) with the tracking of the location of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with regard to “legacy” contaminants that have been historically addressed in the Superfund program. This is important because the presence of PFAS in the same location and media as legacy contaminants can affect protectiveness, as well as worker safety and remedy selection and function. This strategy will be useful at all phases of the Remedial Investigation, including Remedial Investigation Scoping, Conceptual Model development, sampling and data interpretation, remedy selection, and Federal Facility Superfund Sites’ Five-Year Reviews (FYRs). This Bulletin is providing recommendations that are consistent with existing guidance and identifies …

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EPA Federal Facilities Superfund Program – RPM Bulletin 2024-01 Considerations When Reviewing PFAS in Five-Year Reviews

The purpose of this document is to assist United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Remedial Project Managers (RPMs) when reviewing how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are addressed in Federal Facility Superfund Sites’ Five-Year Reviews (FYRs). This Bulletin is rooted in existing guidance and identifies best practices based on a review of how PFAS have been addressed in documents since 2020. Guidance: 2012: https://semspub.epa.gov/work/HQ/174829.pdf 2001: https://semspub.epa.gov/work/HQ/128607.pdf