Which act originally established the hazardous waste cleanup fund?

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, was established to facilitate the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. This act created a fund to provide the necessary financial resources for cleanup actions, especially at sites where responsible parties cannot be identified or are unable to pay for cleanup costs.

CERCLA establishes a framework for the detection and management of hazardous substances, implementing a process for identifying, investigating, and remediating contaminated properties, often referred to as "brownfields." The act also included provisions to hold responsible parties liable for contamination, ensuring that those who pollute are responsible for the costs of their actions.

The other acts listed, while significant in their own rights, are focused on different aspects of environmental protection and regulation. For example, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act primarily focuses on regulating solid and hazardous waste management, the National Environmental Policy Act emphasizes the environmental review process for federal actions, and the Clean Water Act targets the regulation of discharges into water bodies. Each of these laws contributes to the broader framework of environmental protection, but they do not specifically establish a fund for hazardous waste cleanup like CERCLA does.