Final answer:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the regulatory authority that identifies hazardous waste sites and ensures they are cleaned up following the Superfund program.
Step-by-step explanation:
The regulations or regulatory authority that identifies sites with hazardous substances and requires the responsible parties to clean them up is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA's Superfund program is specifically designed to address uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) provides the EPA with the authority to clean up such sites, compel responsible parties to perform cleanups, or reimburse the government for EPA-led cleanups. Additionally, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) empowers the EPA to manage hazardous wastes from cradle to grave. This includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.
The EPA is also responsible for ensuring safe drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act, which includes regulations on hazardous waste that can affect drinking water sources. Moreover, the EPA Cleanup and Multi-Agency Program deals with emergency preparedness and response programs to protect the public from radiation and other related hazards.
In summary, while there are other regulatory agencies like OSHA, the CDC, and the FDA that also play important roles in public safety and health, it is the EPA that has the primary responsibility for regulating hazardous waste sites and ensuring that they are cleaned up properly.