EPA v. ENDICOTT JOHNSON CORP. ET AL.

Case summary

DEFENDANTS SENT CHROME-TANNED LEATHER SCRAPS TO THE PETER COOPER CORPORATION (PCC). THE U.S. LEATHER SCRAPS WERE SENT TO THE PCC FACILITY IN OAK CREEK WISCONSIN. SOME OF THESE MATERIALS WERE TRANSSHIPPED BY PCC FROM WISCONSIN TO GOWANDA. AT ITS GOWANDA GLUE FACOTRY, PCC BOILED THE SCRAPS TO EXTRACT COLLAGEN PROTEIN UTILIZED FOR GLUE MANUFACTURE. THE RESIDUE FROM THIS PROCESS, COOKHOUSE SLUDGE WAS LANDFILLED BOTH AT THE GOWANDA PROPERTY AND AT THE MARKHAMS SITE SEVEN MILES AWAY. BOTH THE GOWANDA AND MARKHAMS SITES ARE LISTED ON NPL. THE MATERIALS WHICH THESE COMPANIES SENT TO PCC CONTAINED CHROMIUM, A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE & THE PRIMARY CONTAMINANT OF CONCERN AT THE TWO SITES. THE DEFENDANTS ARE PRPS AT THESE SITES BECAUSE THEY ARRANGED FOR DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES PRESENT AT THESE SITES. BOTH COMPANIES ARE IN CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS. REQUEST DOJ FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM IN THESE BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS. OTHER DEFENDANT LISTED IS A SEPARATE CASE BECAUSE WHEN THE PROOF OF CLAIM WAS FILED IT WAS ON A DIFFERENT DATE W/ A DIFFERENT COURT DOCKET NUMBER (SEE CASE NO 02-2000-0029). On Dec 19, 2008, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York dismissed the bankruptcy on the ground that the assets available were only sufficient to cover secured creditors and a portion of the administrative claims (with no monies available for general unsecured creditors).

Defendants (2)

• ENDICOTT JOHNSON CORPNamed in complaint
• U.S. LEATHER INC

Facilities (2)

• COOPER PETER CORPORATION

  PALMER ST, GOWANDA, NY, 14070

  Registry ID: 110007998042

• PETER COOPER CORPORATION (MARKHAMS)

  BENTLY ROAD, DAYTON, NY, 14041

  Registry ID: 110009342586

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 106A — Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 2000-06-27Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2000-07-13Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 2000-07-14Complaint Filed With Court
• 2000-07-26Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2008-12-19Enforcement Action Closed