Reimbursement to Local Governments for Emergency Responses to Hazardous Substance Releases

In response to President Clinton's regulatory reform initiative to reduce the burden on small entities, and eliminate, streamline, and rewrite regulations in plain English, the Environmental Protection Agency (``we'' or EPA) is issuing this interim final rule (regulation). Through this regulation, EPA will streamline procedures used to reimburse local governments for emergency response costs. Local governments may be reimbursed for certain costs they incur in taking temporary emergency measures related to releases of hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants. Through this regulation, we are: Easing program and reporting requirements to make reimbursement more accessible; Simplifying the application process; Streamlining EPA's evaluation process to speed up reviewing applications and paying eligible applicants; and, Reorganizing the entire part 310 to make it clearer and easier to use. Reimbursement through this program will help lighten financial burdens placed on local governments that respond to hazardous releases or threats. Reimbursement will also help strengthen effective emergency response at the local level.