CERCLA Remedial Action Site Closure Guidance

Welcome to the CERCLA Remedial Action Site Closure Guidance

The purpose of this Guide is to assist you in successfully completing the CERCLA requirements applicable to the closure of remedial action sites. The CERCLA closure process for remedial actions can take different directions depending upon the outcome of the cleanup. This Guide simplifies this process and provides you with all of the references and associated links to key documents you will need to successfully meet these requirements regardless of the cleanup outcome.

You can navigate directly to any part of the process by clicking on the desired section in the color-coded flow chart below. This 'CERCLA Closure Map' provides quick access to all sections of the CERCLA closure process and is located at the top of every section page.

Begin by selecting one of the sections below:

CERCLA Closure Map

The Guide is organized into five sections:

1. Overview
2. Pre-Remedial Activities
3. Remedial Actions
4. Remedial Action Completion
5. Post-Completion Activities

The second section, Pre-Remedial Activities, describes the steps that lead up to CERCLA remedial activities. This section was included to provide you with a brief overview of the activities that lead to remedial actions.

The third section, Remedial Actions, at the Operable Unit (OU) Level, describes the three types of remedial actions and the regulatory requirements associated with each. Type A, 'Clean Closure,' Type B, 'Long-Term Cleanup,' and Type C, 'Waste-in-Place' discuss most of the different types of remediation. This typology is an excellent way to describe the CERCLA requirements at the operable unit level.

The fourth section, Remedial Action Completion, describes the transition phase (i.e., from the operable unit level to remedial action site level) and briefly discusses activities for completion of the last OU at the site. This includes 'Construction Completion,' 'Preliminary Close Out Reports,' (PCOR) and 'Final Close Out Reports' (FCOR).

Finally, Post-Completion Activities, includes discussions of operation and maintenance, institutional controls, remedy optimization, deletion/partial deletion from the National Priorities List, and five-year reviews. To find out more about these requirements, simply click on the section of the process that is of interest to you. Each of the sections begins with a more detailed diagram to help you narrow your area of interest.

In parallel to this CERCLA Remedial Action Site Closure Guidance, HS-22 is preparing guidance on closure and post-remediation care under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). That guidance will describe in detail the regulatory and policy requirements associated with the RCRA closure process, explain how each phase in the process should be conducted and what should be accomplished, and define what should be included in key closure documents for a range of possible environmental remediation scenarios.