The chapter covers the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and its amendments. CERCLA is a very comprehensive law, directing the USEPA, other Federal agencies, and the states on how to collect and manage the fund, conduct cleanups, encourage private cleanups, and recover the costs of Federally-supported actions. The 1980 legislation established a fairly straightforward structure to obtain these goals. The 1986 amendments did not fundamentally alter the structure, but added far more detail than was present in the original law and added some additional requirements and provisions. The procedures for placing a site on the National Priority List, conducting preliminary assessment, removal action, remedial investigations, and feasibility studies are discussed.