Superfund: Remedial Design / Remedial Action

Remedial design (RD) is the phase in Superfund site cleanup where the technical specifications for cleanup remedies and technologies are designed. Remedial action (RA) follows the remedial design phase. It involves the actual construction or implementation phase of Superfund site cleanup. The RD/RA is based on the specifications described in the Record of Decision (ROD). All new fund-financed remedies are reviewed by EPA’s National Risk-Based Priority Panel.

• Remedial Design and Remedial Action
• RD/RA Resources: Superfund State Contracts
• RD/RA Resources: Potentially Responsible Parties
• RD/RA Resources: USACE
• National Risk-Based Priority Panel

To access the documents listed on this page, please use the document search tool below. Searching by document title or Superfund terms will generate a table of relevant results.

Note: Not all documents may be available at this time. EPA continues to update its website to enhance public access to Superfund-related information.

Remedial Design and Remedial Action

Remedial design (RD) is the phase in Superfund site cleanup where the technical specifications for cleanup remedies and technologies are designed. Remedial action (RA) follows the remedial design phase. It involves the actual construction or implementation phase of Superfund site cleanup. The RD/RA is based on the specifications described in the Record of Decision (ROD).

Remedial Design/Remedial Action Handbook

This handbook provides remedial project managers (RPMs) with an overview of the RD and RA processes. The handbook is designed for RPMs new to RD/RA projects as well as RPMs with significant RD/RA experience. It should be most useful at federal-lead sites where the Superfund Trust Fund is financing the RD or RA. The management principles outlined in the handbook, however, apply generally to all sites. The handbook focuses on how RPMs can use project management principles to implement selected remedies in accordance with a site’s ROD. It is not a conventional engineering manual. It is a general reference document for issues that come up during the RD/RA process.

• Remedial Design/Remedial Action Handbook (June 1995) (PDF) (298 pp, 23 MB)

Value Engineering

Value engineering (VE) is a specialized cost-control technique. It uses a systematic and creative approach to identify and reduce unjustifiably high project costs without sacrificing reliability or efficiency.

• Value Engineering Fact Sheet (November 2005) (PDF) (2 pp, 70 K)
• Value Engineering Directive (April 2006) (PDF) (4 pp, 264 K)

For information related to Build America, Buy America Act applicability see:

Health & Safety

The complexity of site cleanup activities and coordination among the many parties involved can make it challenging to administer a health and safety program. To implement an effective, well-coordinated program, all participants must be made aware of each party’s health and safety roles and responsibilities.

• Health and Safety Roles and Responsibilities at Remedial Sites (July 1991) (PDF) (6 pp, 646 K)

Additional Resources

• Guidance on Expediting Remedial Design and Remedial Action: (August 1990) (PDF) (32 pp, 1.7 MB)
  • Fact Sheet: Guidance on Expediting Remedial Design and Remedial Action (October 1989) (PDF) (6 pp, 547 K)
  • Fact Seet: Scoping the Remedial Design (March 1995) (PDF) (4 pp, 77 K)
  • Contractor Signing of Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifests for Materials Leaving a Superfund Site Clarification (July 1989) (PDF) (2 pp, 21 K)

  RD/RA Resources: Superfund State Contracts

  Superfund State Contracts (SSCs) are required at sites where remedial actions will be fund-financed. For more information see the final rule issued by EPA entitled Cooperative Agreements and Superfund State Contracts for Superfund Response Actions (PDF) (27 pp, 478 K) . Here you will find RD/RA information related to SSC s.

  • Issuance of 2015 Model Superfund State Contract Provisions: OSWER- 9242.3-18 (November 2015) (PDF) (6 pp, 1.3 MB)
    • Superfund State Contract Model Provisions (January 2022) (docx) (71.75 KB) This version provides updated language to reflect the potential use of funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.
    • Model Superfund State Contract Provisions- Questions and Answers (April 2016) (PDF) (8 pp, 560 K)
    • For more information on the National Capacity Assessment Report and past documents see: Assessment of National Capacity for Hazardous Waste Management

    RD/RA Resources: Potentially Responsible Parties

    Related Information

    This category includes document related to the remedial design and remedial action (RD/RA) phase of site work, with a focus on potentially responsible parties (PRPs) conducting the cleanup.

    • 2021 Remedial Design/Remedial Action Consent Decree and Statement of Work Model Documents
    • EPA Oversight of Remedial Designs and Remedial Actions Performed by Potentially Responsible Parties Fact Sheet (February 1990) (PDF) (8 pp, 677 K)
    • EPA Oversight of Remedial Designs and Remedial Actions Performed by Potentially Responsible Parties - Interim Final (April 1990) (PDF) (55 pp, 2.8 MB)
    • Model Unilateral Administrative Order for Remedial Design and Remedial Action Under Section 106 of CERCLA OSWER 9833.0-2(b), March 1990

    RD/RA Resources: US Army Corps of Engineers

    This category includes a documents related to the remedial design and remedial action (RD/RA) phase of site work, with a focus on working with USACE when conducting the cleanup.

    • EPA/USACE Payment Process: Direct Cite/Revised Reimbursement Methods (May 1990) (PDF) (4 pp, 373 K)
    • Procedure for Use of USACE Preplaced Contracts to Expedite Superfund Cleanup Tasks (April 1994) (PDF) (4 pp, 332 K)
    • Real Estate Acquisition Procedures for USACE Projects (February 1990) (PDF) (6 pp, 380 K)

    National Risk-Based Priority Panel

    In August 1995, EPA established a National Risk-Based Priority Panel of program experts to evaluate the risk at National Priorities List sites with respect to human health and the environment. The Agency uses these evaluations to establish funding priorities for all new cleanup construction projects in the Superfund program. This national approach is intended as a way for each Region to list its priority projects and rank these projects against priority projects from other Regions, ensuring that scarce resources are allocated to the projects posing the most risk to human health and the environment.

    New Construction Projects Awaiting Funding

    Each year, EPA selects new construction projects for funding based on prioritization of those sites that present the greatest risk to human health and the environment. To make the most efficient use of funds, the remedial program prioritizes funding for previously mobilized, ongoing construction projects over the funding to start new construction projects. As a consequence, EPA is unable to fund new construction work at some NPL sites that otherwise may be ready for new construction work. Construction projects awaiting funding result when a potentially responsible party is not found or cannot pay, and no other funding sources, including appropriated funds, are available.

    For a list of projects awaiting funding by fiscal year see: Superfund Sites with New Construction Projects Awaiting Funding

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