EPA v. TAYLOR RD LANDFILL

Case summary

COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH (TAYLOR RD LANDFILL) - SEFFNER, FL FILED 10/9/80, CIVIL ACTION #80-1128, US DIST CT FOR THE MIDDLE DIST OF FL, LEAVE TO AMEND COMPLAINT TO ADD CERCLA COUNTS FILED WITH COURT ON 6/15/82. THE SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT WAS FILED ON 3/18/82. THE TAYLOR RD LANDFILL IS A 272 ACRE WSTE DISPOSAL SITE IN SEFFNER, FL OWNED & OPERATED BY HILLSBORO CNTY. THE LANDFILL IS COMPOSED OF 3 SEPARATE AREAS, A 42 ACRE SITE(TAYLOR ROAD), A 10.6 ACRE SITE(BORROW PIT EXPANSION) & THE STILL ACTIVE 64 ACRE SITE(HILLSBORO HEIGHTS). DISPOSAL OPER AT LANDFILL HAVE CONTAMINATED SOIL & CRNDWTR & THREATEN CONTAMINATION OF A PUBLIC WTR SRC. THE SITE OVERLIES THE FL AQUIFER, A SRC OF WTR FOR MUCH OF THE SW US & A PRINCIPAL WTR SRC FOR HILLSBORO. SOME 580 PRIVATE WELLS ARE W/I 1 MILE OF THE SITE. THE 42 ACRE SITE IS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN DISIGNED, CON ST & OPERATED IMPROPERLY. NO GEO ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED BEFORE CONST & SITE IS UNLINED. IT CONTAINS MANY SINKHOL- ES WHICH SERVE AS SRC'S OF RECHRG FOR THE AQUIFER & ALSO PROVIDE CONDUITS FOR CONTAMINANTS TO PERCOLATE FROM THE SURFACE TO THE GRNDWTR. IN OCT '79 EPA SAMPLED THE POT- ABLE WTR SUPPLY & MONITORED WELLS AT OR NEAR THE 42 ACRE SITE. ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES COMPLTD IN DEC '79 REVEALED CONTAMINAT'N OF MONITORED WELLS W/ORGANIC COMPDS & METALS . CONCENTRAT'N INDICATED MIGRATION OF CONTAMAINANTS AWAY FROM CENTER OF SITE AMONG THE COMPDS DETECTED IN AT LEAST 2 PRIVATE WELLS & ALSO PRESENT IN THE MONITORED WELLS ARE THE FOLLOWING:VINYL CHLORIDE-A KNOWN CARCINOGEN; METHY- LENE CHLORIDE-A NARCOTIC WHICH MAY HAVE TOXIC EFFECTS ON BLOOD & CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM; 1,1-DICHLOROETHYLENE; TRICHLOROETHLENE, TETRACHLOROETHLENE; 1,1-DICHLOROETHLENE 1,2-TRANSDICHLOROETHYLENE; 1,1,1-TRICHLOROETHANE & DICHLORO-DIFLUORO-METHANE, ALL OF WHICH ARE KNOWN OR SUSPECTED CARCINOGENS. THE FOLLOWING METALS WERE DETECTED IN THE MONITORING WELLS AT EDGE OF THE 42 ACRE SITE AT CONCENTRAT'NS GREATER THAN ACCEPTABLE DRINKING WATER STANDARD: BARIUM, CHROMIUM, LEAD. AS A RESULT OF THIS SAMPLING EPA ADVISED NUMEROUS AREA RESIDNTS TO DISCONTINUE USING THEIR WELLS. THE COUNTY BEGAN SUPPLY- ING AFFECTED RESIDENTS W/BOTTLED WATER & INITIATED INSTALLATION OF A MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY. A CONSULTANT STUDY REVEALED THAT THE CONTAMINAT'N PLUME MOVES IN A S/SW DIRECTION & HAS EXTENDED BEYOND THE 42 ACRE AREA. THIS EXTENSION OF THE PLUME THREATENS CONTAMINATION OF CITY WELLS LOCATED FURTHER SOUTH OF SITE. RELIEF IS SOUGHT PURSUANT TO SEC 7003 OF RCRA (THE WSTES ARE HAZARDOUS & POSE AN IMMINENT & SUBSTANTIAL ENDANGERMNT TO HEALTH & THE ENVIRONMENT) & SEC 1431(A) OF THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT (SITE PRESENTS AN IMMINENT & SUBSTANTIAL ENDANGERMNT TO THE HLTH OF PERSONS). SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT ALSO SEEKS RELIEF PURSUANT TO CERCLA 106 (IMMINENT AND SUBSTANTIAL ENDANGERMENT). SITE IS ON THE PROPOSED NPL.

Defendants (1)

• TAYLOR RD LANDFILLNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• TAYLOR ROAD LANDFILL

  TAYLOR RD, SEFFNER, FL, 33584

  Registry ID: 110009282043

Statutes cited

• SDWA 1431 — Emergency Powers
• CERCLA 104A — CERCLA 104(a)
• CERCLA 106 — Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order
• CERCLA 107 — Superfund

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• HILLSBOROUGH, COUNTY OFentered 1983-10-07

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1980-05-07Referred To Headquarters
• 1980-06-09Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1980-07-01Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 1980-10-09Complaint Filed With Court
• 1983-10-07Final Order Lodged
• 1983-10-07Final Order Entered
• 1983-10-07Concluded
• 1983-11-07Enforcement Action Closed