Public desires to fully understand the extent of hazardous waste contamination conflict with the reality of limited resources for data collection. Movement of groundwater plumes contaminated with organic chemicals from a landfill area toward Annabessacook Lake were documented in an EPA Remedial Investigation, but proof that chemicals had reached the lake remains elusive. Data deficiencies identified by Cobbossee Watershed District have produced monitoring refinements with more definitive results. EPA is presently selecting a cleanup strategy. Proposed massive expenditures for comprehensive cleanup activities cannot be justified on the basis of the limited lake data collected. Local and state agencies have made the unusual recommendation to delay immediate cleanup until further monitoring quantifies the problem. A phased cleanup approach has been proposed which would use monitoring in conjunction with negotiated “action levels” to initiate cleanup options. Final decisions by government and private interests are anticipated this year.