Which environmental law passed in 1980 created the Superfund program to clean up hazardous waste sites and require responsible parties to pay for or perform cleanups?

• A. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
• B. Clean Air Act (CAA)
• C. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
• D. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Answer: (C)

The question hinges on identifying the law that created a nationwide cleanup program and the liability framework for hazardous waste sites. In 1980, a federal statute established the Superfund to clean up abandoned or uncontrollable hazardous waste sites and to require those responsible to pay for or perform the cleanup. This act laid out how sites are identified, prioritized, funded, and remediated, including a dedicated trust fund and the mechanism to link cleanup costs to potentially responsible parties. While other environmental laws focus on specific protections—drinking water safety, air quality, or general hazardous waste management—they do not establish the Superfund program and its liability structure in the same way. So, the act that best fits this description is the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.