EPA v. BURNS, WILLIAM

Case summary

THIS CASE CONCERNS A 107 CERCLA COST RECOVERY ACTION AGAINST VARIOUS RESPONSIBLE PARTIES FOR THE GONIC DRUM DUMPS LOCATED IN GONIC, NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE GONIC DRUM DUMPS SITE ACTUALLY CONSISTS OF TWO SEPARATE PROPERTIES LOCATED APPROX- IMATELY 1/2 MILE FROM EACH OTHER. ON ONE PROPERTY, MR. WILLIAM BURNS OPERATED A SYNTHETIC SHOE PARTS MANUFACTURING COMPANY KNOWN AS URETHANE MOLDED PRODUCTS,INC.(UMP). WHILE OPERARTING THE UMP COMPANY, MR. BURNS GENERATED AND ABANDON- ED 53 DRUMS CONTAINING HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, POSING AN IMMEDI ATE THREAT TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH. THE OWNER OF THE UMP PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF DISPOSAL WAS MR BARRY LAZARO WHO WAS LEASING THE PREMISES TO MR. BURNS. MR. LAZARO THEN SOLD THE PROPERTY TO MR. CLAUDE S. CHITTICK WHILE THE DRUMS WERE STILL ON THE PREMISES. EPA IS NOW SEEKING A JUDICIAL ORDER FINDING WILLIAM BURNS LIABLE FOR $61,320.14 EXPENDED IN THE REMOVAL ACTION CONDUCTED ON THE UMP PROPERTY. ON ANOTHER PROPERTY, MR. BURNS OPERATED ANOTHER COMPANY (POLYTHANE, INC.), WHERE HE ABANDONED APPROXIMATELY 57 DRUMS CONTAINING HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS. EPA CONDUCTED A REMOVAL ACTION AT THIS SITE AT A COST OF $63,124.19. EPA IS NOW SEEKING TO RECOVER THIS AMOUNT FROM MR. BURNS AND FROM THE GONIC REALTY TRUST, WHICH WAS THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF DISPOSAL.

Defendants (3)

• BURNS, WILLIAMNamed in complaint
• CHITTICK, CLAUDENamed in complaint
• GONIC REALTY TRUST, RAYMOND CROWLEY,Named in complaint

Facilities (1)

• GONIC DRUM DUMPS

  210 GONIC RD & 10 MAIN ST, GONIC, NH, 03839

  Registry ID: 110010622433

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 107 — Superfund

Timeline (6 milestones)

• 1988-03-01Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1988-03-02Referred To Headquarters
• 1988-03-07Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1988-03-10Complaint Filed With Court
• 1989-01-01Concluded
• 1989-01-01Enforcement Action Closed