Imagine you have a list of all the things that need to be done to keep your house clean and running smoothly. Now imagine that the government has a similar list for things that need to be done to keep the country and its people safe and healthy. That list is called the National Priorities List.
This list is made up of places across the country that have been identified as having serious environmental issues that need to be fixed in order to protect people's health and the environment. Some of these places might have toxic waste or chemicals in the soil or water that can make people sick. Others might have old factories or buildings that are falling apart and could be dangerous.
The National Priorities List is created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is updated regularly. The EPA works with state and local governments, as well as with private companies, to clean up these sites and make them safe for people to live and work around.
Cleaning up sites on the National Priorities List is important because it helps to protect people's health, water, air, and land. It also helps to make sure that the environment is safe for future generations.