The National Priorities List (NPL) designates sites for long-term cleanup under CERCLA. Approximately how many sites are on the list?

• A. Over 1,300
• B. Over 50
• C. Over 3,000
• D. Over 10,000

Answer: (A)

The question tests knowledge of the scale of the National Priorities List used under CERCLA to flag sites for long-term cleanup. The number of sites currently on the list is just over 1,300, reflecting those that have been evaluated and prioritized for remedial action through EPA’s processes. This count isn’t fixed—sites can be added when they meet criteria and removed once cleanup is complete or the site no longer poses significant risk. The other options are far off the typical range: a little over fifty is far too few, around three thousand overstates the list, and more than ten thousand is far beyond the actual count.