Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act

Statute: 42 USC § 9601 et seq.

Regulation: Coming soon.

CERCLA Purpose: Under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA or Superfund law), liability for environmental problems rests with potentially responsible parties without regard to their involvement or fault in creating the problems. The act provides that any responsible party may be held liable for all the costs and expenses associated with the environmental cleanup. State laws sometimes impose similar requirements.