Bill > HR7268

This bill, known as the CLEAN-UP Act, allows the Secretary of the Army to undertake water development projects aimed at cleaning up contaminated sediment, which refers to sediment containing hazardous substances or pollutants. To do this, the Secretary must first develop a "joint plan" in collaboration with a non-Federal partner, such as a state or local government. This plan must ensure the cleanup protects human health and the environment, and it needs to be approved by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The joint plan will outline the work to be done, how dredged material will be disposed of, the responsibilities of both the Army and the non-Federal partner, and how the project will be funded, while also incorporating relevant requirements from the National Contingency Plan, which is a set of procedures for responding to environmental emergencies. Before starting any cleanup, the Secretary must identify the contaminants present and try to find parties responsible for the pollution, though this does not prevent the government from seeking cost recovery from those responsible parties under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (often called CERCLA or Superfund). The bill also clarifies that the Secretary of the Army will not be held liable under CERCLA for any release of hazardous substances that occurs as a result of these authorized cleanup activities carried out under an approved joint plan.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7268/all-info