Who Finances the EPA's Superfund?

The EPA's Superfund program, which is responsible for cleaning up the nation's most hazardous waste sites, is primarily financed through the Superfund Trust Fund. This fund receives its revenue from specific federal taxes levied on industries and corporations.

Sources of Superfund Financing

The Superfund Trust Fund is supported by various dedicated taxes designed to ensure that those who benefit from or contribute to pollution share the responsibility of remediation. Annually, the trust fund receives significant contributions from three major tax sources:

• Petroleum Excise Taxes: A tax applied to crude oil and imported petroleum products.
• Chemical Feedstock Excise Taxes: A tax imposed on the sale of certain chemicals used in industrial processes.
• Environmental Income Taxes: Taxes on corporate income, specifically related to environmental liabilities.

These taxes ensure a consistent funding stream for the Superfund program, enabling the EPA to identify, investigate, and clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances, protecting public health and the environment.

The breakdown of annual contributions to the Superfund Trust Fund from these primary sources is as follows:

This dedicated funding mechanism allows the EPA to address complex and often costly environmental cleanups that are vital for the well-being of communities across the United States. For more detailed information on the program, you can visit the official EPA Superfund program website.