Economic Effects of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act in Urban America

Abstract

During the course of my internship I came across many cases dealing with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), or more commonly known as Superfund. Each of these cases was an example of the act stifling urban economic growth and often environmental clean-up. It was the realization that CERCLA, an act that was designed to aid in the environmental clean-up process, is in many cases slowing environmental clean-up and hurting economic growth that spurred me to further research the effects of this act in urban economic settings.