EPA v. MARYLAND BANK & TRUST COMPANY

Case summary

THIS IS A PROPOSED ACTION TO RECOVER $581,250.85 + ENFORCEMENT COSTS EXPENDED AT CALIFORNIA MARYLAND DRUM SITE. US HAS AUTHORITY TO BRING ACTION UNDERS EC 107 OF CERCLA. MARYLAND BANK AND TRUST CO IS OWNER OF PROPERTY KNOWN AS THE CALIFORNIA, MARYLAND DRUM SITE (CMD SITE), A 117 ACRE FARM LOCATED ON ST RD #4 1 MI S OF JUNCTION W/ST RD #235, NEAR TWN OF CALIFORNIA IN ST. MARY'S CNTY, MD. ON 06/20/84, MARK WAYNE MCLEOD, SON OF NOW-DECEASED HERSCHEL MCLEOD, SR., OWNER/OPERATOR OF SITE DURING PERIOD OF DUMPING, NOTIFIED CNTY HEALTH DEPT ABOUT DUMPING AT CMD SITE. CNTY, IN TURN, CONTACTED MD DEPT OFHEALTH & HYGIENE, WHICH CONTACTED EPA. INSPECT OF SITE REVEALED LARGE NUMBER OF DRUMS, ON SURFACE AND BURIED. MANY DRUMS RUSTED, PUNCTURED, OR DETER- IORATED AND LEAKING. LEAKAGE EVIDENT ON GROUND. ALSO EVID- ENCE OF LIQUID DUMPING. PRELIM SAMPLING REVEALED VERY HIGH LEVELS OF SEVERAL HAZ SUBSTSANCES, INCL CHROMIUM, LEAD, ZINC , XYLENES, TOLUENE, ETHYLBENZENE, AND CYANIDE. POTENTIAL FOR RELEASE OF HYDROGEN CYANIDE EXISTED DUE TO CLOSE PROX-IM ITY OF CYANIDE IN SOIL AND DETERIORATING DRUMS W/ACIDS. EPA DETERMINED RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH INVOLVED AND A RESPONSE/REMOVAL ACTION UNDERTAKEN TO SAMPLE, EXCAVATE, AND REMOVE DRUMS AND CONTAMINATED SOIL. DEF, MARYLAND BANK AND TRUST, GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO DO CLEANUP AND DECLINED. DEMAND FOR PAYMENT MADE ON BANK; BANK DENIED LIABILITY.

Defendants (1)

• MARYLAND BANK AND TRUST COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• CALIFORNIA MARYLAND DRUM SITE

  ST ANDREWS CHURCH ROAD, CALIFORNIA, MD, 20619

  Registry ID: 110010713022

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 107 — Superfund

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• MARYLAND BANK & TRUST COMPANYentered 1987-05-19

  Primary law: CERCLA

  Federal penalty: $400,000

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1984-06-01Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1984-06-29Referred To Headquarters
• 1984-08-09Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1984-10-31Complaint Filed With Court
• 1987-05-19Final Order Lodged
• 1987-05-19Final Order Entered
• 1987-05-19Concluded
• 1989-06-30Enforcement Action Closed