Operable Unit in the United States
Operable Unit in Environmental Law
A part of a hazardous waste site that is treated separately from the rest of the site to facilitate a remedy. The job of removing, neutralizing, and containing waste can be lengthy and overwhelming at a contaminated site. Operable units make the process more manageable for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the public, and the parties who have to clean up the property.
For example, assume that an abandoned hazardous waste facility, HazChem, is targeted for cleanup. During the operation of HazChem, drums of hazardous wastes were dumped into a hole and buried; others were dumped into lagoons. As a result, HazChem has contaminated the groundwater. HazChem also had a storage area, and when the facility closed, containers of hazardous wastes were left stacked inside it.
So that it could phase the work in a logical manner, the EPA could view the facility as consisting of several operable units: the groundwater, the buried waste, the lagoon, and the storage area. Another possibility is that the potentially responsible parties can divide the work among them, distributing the cleanup resources to the operable units involved. See Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.
Based on “Environment and the Law. A Dictionary”.
Operable Unit: Open and Free Legal Research of US Law
Federal Primary Materials
The U.S. federal government system consists of executive, legislative, and judicial branches, each of which creates information that can be the subject of legal research about Operable Unit. This part provides references, in relation to Operable Unit, to the legislative process, the federal judiciary, and the primary sources of federal law (cases, statutes, and regulations).
Federal primary materials about Operable Unit by content types:
Laws and Regulations
US Constitution
Federal Statutory Codes and Legislation
Federal Case Law and Court Materials
U.S. Courts of Appeals
United States courts of appeals, inclouding bankruptcy courts and bankcruptcy appellate panels:
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island)
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (Connecticut, New York, Vermont)
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania)
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia)
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas)
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee)
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (Illinois, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin)
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota)
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Alaska, Arizona, California, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington)
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming)
- Case law related to Operable Unit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (Alabama, Florida, Georgia)
Federal Administrative Materials and Resources
Presidential Materials
Materials that emanate from the President’s lawmaking function include executive orders for officers in departments and agencies and proclamations for announcing ceremonial or commemorative policies. Presidential materials available include:
Executive Materials
Federal Legislative History Materials
Legislative history traces the legislative process of a particular bill (about Operable Unit and other subjects) for the main purpose of determining the legislators’ intent behind the enactment of a law to explain or clarify ambiguities in the language or the perceived meaning of that law (about Operable Unit or other topics), or locating the current status of a bill and monitoring its progress.
State Administrative Materials and Resources
State regulations are rules and procedures promulgated by state agencies (which may apply to Operable Unit and other topics); they are a binding source of law. In addition to promulgating regulations, state administrative boards and agencies often have judicial or quasi-judicial authority and may issue administrative decisions affecting Operable Unit. Finding these decisions can be challenging. In many cases, researchers about Operable Unit should check state agency web sites for their regulations, decisions, forms, and other information of interest.
State rules and regulations are found in codes of regulations and administrative codes (official compilation of all rules and regulations, organized by subject matter). Search here:
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Alabama Administrative Code.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Alaska Administrative Code
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Arizona Administrative Code, Secretary of State's Office.
- Information related to Operable Unit in Arkansas Administrative Rules, Secretary of State.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the California Code of Regulations
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Colorado Code of Regulations and the Online Register, Secretary of State.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Connecticut eRegulations System
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Delaware's Administrative Code
- Information related to Operable Unit in the D.C. Municipal Regulations and D.C. Register
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Florida Administrative Code and Administrative Register, Department of State.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Administrative Rules, Lt. Governor of the State of Hawaii.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Idaho Administrative Code, Idaho Office of the Administrative Rules Coordinator.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Administrative Code, Illinois General Assembly, Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Indiana Administrative Code.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Iowa Administrative Code (titles) and Operable Unit in the PDF content of rules.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Kansas Administrative Regulations, Kansas Secretary of State (search also Operable Unit here)
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Kentucky Administrative Regulations
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Louisiana Administrative Code, State of Louisiana, Division of Administration
- Information related to Operable Unit in Maine Rules by Department, the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), Division of State Documents
- Information related to Operable Unit in Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR), the Massachusetts Court System
- Information related to Operable Unit in Michigan Administrative Code, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Office of Regulatory Reinvention
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Minnesota Administrative Code, Office of the Revisor of Statutes
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Mississippi Administrative Code
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Missouri Code of State Regulations, Secretary of State.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Administrative Rules of Montana, Secretary of State.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Nebraska Rules and Regulations, Nebraska Secretary of State.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Nevada Administrative Code, Legislature Law Library
- Information related to Operable Unit in the New Hampshire Administrative Rules, Office of Legislative Services
- Information related to Operable Unit in the New Jersey Administrative Code
- Information related to Operable Unit in the New Mexico Administrative Code, Commission of Public Records, State Records Center and Archives
- Information related to Operable Unit in the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
- Information related to Operable Unit in the North Carolina Administrative Code (NCAC), Office of Administrative Hearings
- Information related to Operable Unit in the North Dakota Administrative Code
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Ohio Administrative Code, Legislative Services Commission
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Oklahoma Administrative Code, Oklahoma Secretary of State
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR), Secretary of State
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Pennsylvania Code Online (official publication rules and regulations), Pennsylvania Reference Bureau
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Rhode Island Final Rules and Regulations Database, State Archives. Four rulemaking agencies are not included
- Information related to Operable Unit in the South Carolina Code of Regulations, South Carolina Legislature.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the South Dakota Administrative Rules, Legislative Research Council
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Effective Rules and Regulations of the State of Tennessee (Official Compilation), Secretary of State.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Texas Administrative Code, Secretary of State
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Utah Administrative Code, Utah Department of Administrative Services, Division of Administrative Rules
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Vermont Administrative Code
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Virginia Administrative Code, Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System (LIS)
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC)
- Information related to Operable Unit in the West Virginia Code of State Rules, Secretary of State.
- Information related to Operable Unit in the Wisconsin Administrative Code
- Information related to Operable Unit in Wyoming administrative rules, Secretary of State
State opinions of the Attorney General (official written advisory opinions on issues of state law related to Operable Unit when formerly requested by a designated government officer):
Tools and Forms
Law in Other Regions
*This resource guide is updated frequently. However, if you notice something is wrong or not working, or any resources that should be added, please notify us in any of the "Leave a Comment" area.
