NREP Associate Environmental Professional Certification Practice Test

The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) was passed in 1986. It strengthened the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), which is the original statute under which the Superfund program operates. SARA emphasized the importance of involving state and local governments in the cleanup process and introduced new provisions to enhance the speed and effectiveness of the cleanup of hazardous waste sites.

The act also increased the focus on the health effects of hazardous substances and established new research and guidance for the remediation of contaminated sites. Therefore, the identification of 1986 as the year SARA was enacted, along with its link to strengthening CERCLA regulations, conveys the significant impact this legislation had on environmental cleanup and public health protection.