Another important air contaminant that is amenable to plants' cleanup abilities is mercury vapor.
Although several technologies have been proposed recently for NAPL cleanup, the ability to completely remediate these contaminated sites is still in doubt.
In February, the state inspector general, Mary Jane Cooper, accused EnCap of deliberately misleading several government agencies about the progress of its cleanup and its ability to finance the project.
Joe Davis, a spokesman for the Energy Department, said, "If this decision stands, it could lead to a tremendous burden on the taxpayers with respect to cost of cleanup, and jeopardize our ability to clean up our sites sooner".
"Taxpayers should have assurances that these nuclear relics don't outlive their corporate owners and their ability to fund nuclear cleanup costs, leaving ordinary Americans to foot the bill".
The radiation spill was the latest in a string of serious water and radiation leaks, which have raised fears over the workers' state of mind – and Tepco's ability to continue the cleanup alone.
Thermal treatment technologies hold an important niche in the remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and sediments due to their ability to quickly and reliably meet cleanup standards.
The firm's inability to safely store contaminated water and prevent more damage to the environment has prompted doubts about its ability to lead the Fukushima Daiichi cleanup.
The accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, 220 km (130 miles) north of Tokyo, are adding to the crisis and stirring doubt over Tepco's abilities to carry out a complex cleanup widely expected to take decades.
In comparison, the environmental advocates said, Mr. D'Amato, a Republican, voted to decrease funds for the cleanup of toxic waste sites and to weaken the ability of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency to enforce clean air standards, both in 1995.
