The Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA ) provides the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) with the funding and the authority to conduct cleanup actions at sites where hazardous substances have been released. HSCA also provides DEP with enforcement authorities to force the persons who are responsible for releases of hazardous substances to conduct cleanup actions or to repay public funds spent on a DEP funded cleanup action. HSCA funds are also used to pay the state share of costs of cleanup actions at Pennsylvania sites in the Federal Superfund Program.

Under the provisions of HSCA, most HSCA sites involve bankrupt facility owners, abandoned facilities, and inappropriate disposal of hazardous substances. As a general rule, HSCA sites do not include active facilities with financially viable owners.