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Superfund

Superfund. Introduction. passed in 1980 after Love Canal reauthorized and amended in 1986 (SARA). “Rules” of CERCLA. it isn’t fair the government almost always wins most cases settle private parties can usually do the work for less $

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Superfund

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  1. Superfund

  2. Introduction • passed in 1980 after Love Canal • reauthorized and amended in 1986 (SARA)

  3. “Rules” of CERCLA • it isn’t fair • the government almost always wins • most cases settle • private parties can usually do the work for less $ • courts do not like to get in the way of superfund clean-ups

  4. Two purposes • emergency response and removal • EPA must be notified if a reportable quantity of a hazardous substance is released • long term remediation • National Priorities List • hazard ranking system > 28.5 • For Thursday: find a site on the NPL and describe it

  5. Fox Listing Proposal… Score: 100 possible 28.5 needed to list Site score: 50 Public comment July 28 to September 27, 1998 7000 comments

  6. EPA support Polling data: 70% want Superfund

  7. Hazardous Substance Response Trust Fund • funding mechanism to pay for clean up of abandoned hazardous waste sites (Superfund) • based on environmental tax on corporations, tax on petroleum and chemical feedstocks, general revenues • What do we know about the trust fund?

  8. How is CERCLA triggered? • release or substantial threat of release • of a hazardous substance • from a facility • that causes the occurrence of response costs

  9. Hazardous substance • defined by reference to other environmental laws • EPA may add additional substances • petroleum exclusion: unless benzene, toluene and/or xylene found in unexpected levels (petroleum fraction)

  10. Release or threat of release • no requirement for quantity released • “any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, discharging...” • Point A to Point B through the environment • Exclusions: workplace; emissions from motor vehicles

  11. Facility • release from a facility or vessel • “any site where a hazardous substance has come to be located” • exclusions: consumer products in consumer use • Sum: CERCLA has very broad application, can easily be triggered

  12. Examples • Joe brings home molecules of mercury from his work. As he washes his clothes, it gets into the water. Release of a hazardous substance? • Sue’s foreman notes that some workers have been dumping solvent in back of the building. Sue says not to worry, because the company is not a TSD facility and, therefore, not a facility under CERCLA. Is she right? What about RCRA?

  13. How is CERCLA triggered? • release or substantial threat of release • of a hazardous substance • from a facility • that causes the occurrence of response costs

  14. WHO is liable? • current owners and operators • former owners and operators • arrangers for disposal • transporters who choose the site

  15. Liability is • strict • joint and several • retroactive • Potentially responsible parties (PRPs)

  16. Another example • ABC company contracts with a transporter to haul its hazardous waste to a TSD facility. Instead, the hauler dumps the wastewater down a borehole that ends up in a river. The river becomes a superfund site. Who is liable?

  17. Defenses to liability • Act of God • Act of War • Solely due to an act of a third party (no contractual relationship)

  18. Some exceptions to designation as a PRP (SARA) • innocent landowner’s defense • “all appropriate inquiry” and exercise due diligence • standard is much higher for commercial property • prove that you did not contribute to the contamination • state/local governments that acquire the property involuntarily • banks, with only a fiduciary interest • Hand-out

  19. EPA actions and PRP response • Spend and sue (Sec. 107) • cost recovery action • Order and sue (Sec. 106) • unilateral administrative order • EPA orders PRPs to clean up; may impose penalties up to $25,000 per day • Order, spend and sue (Sec. 107) • EPA orders PRP to clean up site, if refuses, then spends $ to clean up and sues for treble damages

  20. Most PRPs settle • Voluntary clean-ups are possible prior to an EPA action • PRPs often settle and then sue non-settling PRPs for contribution • little success in arguing for divisibility prior to settling with EPA

  21. Questions • How is CERCLA different from other environmental laws? • Why is the law so often criticized? • Given what you now know, would you have passed the law?

  22. Natural Resource Damage Assessments • PRPs may be held liable for damage to natural resources in addition to clean up costs • must be held in public trust by state, national or tribal government • Does clean up correct injury to resource?

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