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Restored wetland at New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site
Sediments Present Risks - Contaminated sediment continues to be a significant environmental problem that impairs the uses of many waterbodies and is often a contributing factor to the over 3,200 fish consumption advisories that have been issued nationwide. The Superfund program uses its Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) authority, in collaboration with other EPA programs and authorities, to cleanup those sediment sites that present an unacceptable risk to human health and/or the environment.

Cleanups selected at 150 sites - As of September 2005, Superfund has selected a remedy at over 150 sediment sites. Eleven of these sediment sites are considered "mega sites" where the cost for the sediment portion of the remedy exceeded $50 million. There are approximately 50 other sites with ongoing sediment investigations, several of which are expected to become mega sites.

Key Principle in Remedy Evaluation - EPA encourages it project managers to develop and refine a conceptual site model that considers key site uncertainties and use it within an adaptive management framework to select and implement a cost-effective remedy that controls sources and achieves long-term protection while minimizing short-term impacts.

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