Environmental Compliance and Protection

A significant threat to the health of the nation’s forests and grasslands are hazardous materials. Hazardous materials on national forests can impact the nation’s water supply, with approximately 20 percent of fresh water originating from 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands. These dangerous substances can also cause damage to plant and animal habitats, as well as jeopardize the health and safety of recreationists and other users of public lands.
The Environmental Compliance and Protection Program supports the Forest Service mission by promoting environmental stewardship and compliance with applicable federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, while ensuring that public health and resources are protected. These include, but are not limited to the Safe Drinking Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, Oil Pollution Act, and Hazardous Materials Management and Hazard Communication requirements under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
A large focus of the Environmental Compliance and Protection Program is the work required to identify, plan, investigate, implement and monitor the cleanup of sites where there is a release (or threat of release) of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant which threatens human health and the environment. Through Executive Order 12580, the Forest Service has been delegated authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) to act as the lead agency and is responsible for the investigation and remediation of contaminated sites on national forests and grasslands. With the exception of “emergency response actions” (whose implementation resides with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the U.S. Coast Guard), the agency uses the authorities to address contaminated sites and hazardous substance releases on national forests and grasslands across the country.
Agency policy states that the “polluter pays” and to address the “worst sites first”. The program works closely with USDA Office of General Counsel to ensure responsible parties pay for clean-ups with Forest Service oversight. A major component of the effort to clean up contaminated sites is the work being undertaken to address the over 70,000 legacy abandoned mine sites on national forests and grasslands.