Editors' Summary: One of Congress' major goals in amending the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act in 1986 was to better address the health threats posed by hazardous waste sites. Congress sought to add greater firepower to the role of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a part of the Public Health Service. But more than three years after the amendments' passage, ATSDR remains an agency many have never heard of. Even environmental professionals are often confused about what it does and how it works.

In this Article, the author, a lawyer formerly on the ATSDR staff, outlines the Agency's organization, functions, and the current status of its work. He considers the Agency's impact on environmental litigation. Finally, he reviews areas where improvement is needed, and observes that reform may be possible as part of the upcoming reauthorization of CERCLA.