The Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), also referred to as the Office of Solid Waste, or the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, under the supervision of the Assistant Administrator for Land and Emergency Management, also referred to as the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Solid Waste, provides Agencywide policy, guidance, and direction for the Agency's solid and hazardous wastes and emergency response programs. This Office has primary responsibility for implementing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA - “Superfund”), as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA); the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act; the Oil Pollution Act; Clean Water Act section 311; and the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act; among other laws. In addition to managing those programs, the Assistant Administrator serves as principal adviser to the Administrator in matters pertaining to them. The Assistant Administrator's responsibilities include: Program policy development and evaluation; development of appropriate hazardous waste standards and regulations; ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations; program policy guidance and overview, technical support, and evaluation of Regional solid and hazardous wastes and emergency response activities; development of programs for technical, programmatic, and compliance assistance to States and local governments; development of guidelines and standards for the land disposal of hazardous wastes; analyses of the recovery of useful energy from solid waste; development and implementation of a program to respond to uncontrolled hazardous waste sites and spills (including oil spills); long-term strategic planning and special studies; economic and long-term environmental analyses; economic impact assessment of regulations under RCRA, CERCLA, and other relevant statutes; analyses of alternative technologies and trends; and cost-benefit analyses and development of OLEM environmental criteria. For purposes of 42 U.S.C. 6911(a), OLEM carries out the functions of the Office of Solid Waste. For purposes of 42 U.S.C. 6911a, the functions and duties of the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Solid Waste are carried out by the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management.
[80 FR 77577, Dec. 15, 2015]