CERCLA became law in ____________.

CERCLA became law in ____________.

• A. 1976
• B. 1979
• C. 1986
• D. 1980

Answer: (D)

CERCLA, standing for Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and commonly called the Superfund, was created to establish a federal program for cleaning up hazardous waste sites and to require polluters to pay for cleanup. It became law in 1980, signed on December 11, 1980. That year is the correct choice because it marks the original enactment. The other years don’t fit: 1976 and 1979 come before CERCLA existed, and 1986 refers to the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, which amended CERCLA rather than creating it.

CERCLA, standing for Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and commonly called the Superfund, was created to establish a federal program for cleaning up hazardous waste sites and to require polluters to pay for cleanup. It became law in 1980, signed on December 11, 1980. That year is the correct choice because it marks the original enactment. The other years don’t fit: 1976 and 1979 come before CERCLA existed, and 1986 refers to the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, which amended CERCLA rather than creating it.