Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF)

The Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF) coordinates and supports the cleanup of hazardous sites across the Department of the Interior to maintain healthy, safe, and sustainable public lands.


The CHF is the Department of the Interior’s principal source of funding to investigate and cleanup the highest priority contaminated sites located in national parks, national wildlife refuges, and other Department-managed lands. CHF sites may pose risks to human health and the environment and follow the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) process to properly characterize sites and select appropriate response actions. 


The Department pursues potentially responsible parties for cost reimbursement or for work performance, reducing the cost to the American taxpayer. Since 1995, CHF recovered or avoided nearly $1 billion in cleanup costs, $138 million of which were funds recovered from third parties that allowed the program to support many more projects than would have been possible solely with appropriated funds.


Through the CHF, the Department has conducted CERCLA response actions at approximately 100 sites and completed cleanup at 40 sites. The sites include abandoned hardrock mines, formerly used defense sites (FUDS), defense-related uranium mines (DRUMS), landfills, firing ranges, industrial sites, and so on.

 

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Wetland pools and sedge meadows at the Krejci dump site after restoration
Photo: Wetland pools and sedge meadows at the Krejci dump site after restoration using CHF funds. Credit: NPS / Chris Davis
Photo: Wetland pools and sedge meadows at the Krejci dump site after restoration using CHF funds.                      Credit: NPS / Chris Davis

 

Current CHF remediation sites

CHF Policy Guidance

 

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