What did Executive Order 12580 clarify regarding federal agencies?

Executive Order 12580, issued in 1987, clarified the roles and responsibilities of federal agencies in relation to environmental protection and cleanup, specifically regarding Superfund sites. The correct answer points out that these agencies are indeed responsible for cleaning up Superfund sites within their jurisdiction. This Order allowed federal agencies to engage actively when hazardous substances were released into the environment or when they posed a threat to public health.

By establishing this responsibility, the Executive Order aimed to streamline the cleanup process, ensuring that federal agencies could directly manage and oversee the remediation efforts at contaminated sites. This was particularly important because it helped to affirm that accountability for site cleanup did not solely lie with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) but was shared with other federal entities that had jurisdiction over specific sites or types of waste.

The options regarding funding external environmental projects or suggesting that agencies can delegate cleanup responsibilities to private companies may imply a misunderstanding of the responsibilities defined within the Executive Order. While agencies do work with various partners, the Order specifically outlines their direct obligations, not merely delegating tasks. Moreover, the claim that federal agencies are not involved in Superfund cleanups contradicts the essence of the Executive Order, which established that federal agencies have a critical role in these efforts.