Hazardous Site Response Act Guidance

When a release is discovered in soil or groundwater, the property owner must determine if he or she is required to notify the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) of the release. If it receives a notification, EPD then evaluates the information provided and, if a release exceeding a reportable quantity has occurred, the site is placed on the Hazardous Site Inventory (HSI). EPD may also place a site on the HSI if the site otherwise poses a threat to human health or the environment.

To remove a site from the HSI, the responsible parties must submit a compliance status report (CSR) certifying the site complies with Georgia’s cleanup standards. The links below provide guidance regarding the submittal of a notification, compliance status report and other associated documents:

• Compliance Status Report Guidance

After a property is listed on the Hazardous Site Inventory, EPD will request that the responsible parties submit a CSR. The CSR documents the investigation of the release, including identifying all responsible parties, locating source areas, completely defining the horizontal and vertical extent of contamination in soil and groundwater, and identifying which of the contaminated areas are not in compliance with the cleanup standards. This guidance describes the sections of a CSR.

• Corrective Action Plan Guidance

When a CSR demonstrates contaminated areas are not in compliance with the cleanup standards, the responsible parties are required to submit a corrective action plan (CAP). The CAP details proposed cleanup technologies, including a schedule showing how much time is required for the chosen technology to bring the site into compliance with the cleanup standards. This guidance describes the sections of a CAP and provides links to some common cleanup technologies.

• Hazardous Site Response Act Notification Frequently Asked Questions

When a release is discovered in soil or groundwater, the property owner must determine if he or she is required to notify EPD of the release. This section addresses some frequently asked questions.

• Fate and Transport Modeling

When a cleanup technology is approaching its cleanup goals, it may be appropriate to allow the remaining contamination to naturally attenuate. In order to approve monitored natural attenuation, the responsible parties must demonstrate that the contamination is likely to reach the cleanup standards within a reasonable time. One of the requirements for this demonstration is a fate and transport model. This section describes the sections of a fate and transport modeling report and provides links to some common fate and transport models.

• Cleanup Standards (Risk Reduction Standards)