EPA v. ISANTI/SPEED-O-LAQ - DISSOLUTION

Case summary

ISANTI SOLVENT (ST. CT. CASE) IN RE: VOLUNTARY DISSOLUTION OF SPEED-O-LAQ CHEMICALS, INC. NATURE OF THE CASE: CLEAN UP OF THE 4 CLOSELY RELATED SITES IN ISANTI CTY WAS COMPLETED ON 5/26/83, IN ACCORDENCE W/A 2 PHASE, EMERGENCY REMOVAL PLAN. 1,100 BARRELS CONTAINING SOLVENTS, SLUDGES, SOLIDS AND OTHER HAZ WASTES WERE REMOVED FROM THE SITES. OVER 800 HAD BEEN BURIED IN A LARGE PIT. THE PROJECT TOOK PLACE THE FULL 6 MONTHS ALLOWED UNDER SEC 104 OF CERCLA. EXPENDITURES TO DATE ARE IN EXCESS OF $700K. THE U.S. EPA SEEKS COST RECOVERY AND OTHER APPROPRIATE RELIEF FROM A NUMBER OF RESPONSIBLE PARTIES, INCLUDING LANDOWNERS, OWNERS OF THE WASTE, TRANSPORTERS, AND GENERATORS, PURSUANT TO SEC 107 OF CERCLA, SEC 7003 OF RCRA, AND THE COMMON LAW. WE ALSO SEEK APPROPRIATE RELIEF AGAINST LANDOWNERS & OWNERS OF WASTES UNDER SEC 3008 OF RCRA FOR IMPROPER STORAGE AND DISPOSAL OF HAZ WASTES W/O A PERMIT. BEFORE THE CLEAN UP, AN IMMINENT AND SUBSTANTIAL ENDANGERMENT TO HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT EXISTED AT THE SITES. THE WASTES STORED AT ALL SITES PRESENTED THE DANGER OF EXPLOSION. FOUR FAMILY WELLS NEAR THE SITE WERE DISCOVERED TO BE CONTAMINATED W/1,1,1 TRICHLOROETHANE, BENZENE, TOLUNE AND OTHER HAZ CHEMICALS. ADDITIONAL WELLS WERE THREATENED W/CONTAMINATION. TWO OF THE SITES WERE PLAY AREAS FOR CHILDREN. A DANGER FROM DIRECT CONTACT W/THE WASTES EXISTED AT ALL SITES. LASTLY, HAZ CHEMICALS LEAKING FROM 3 OF THE 4 SITES THREATENED TO CONTAMINATE THE RUM RIVER, A NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVER. THE U.S. EPA AND ITS CONTRACTORS CONDUCTED PHASE 1 OF THE REMOVAL ACTION, WHICH RESULTED IN CLEAN UP OF ALL BARRELS AND WASTES DISPOSED OF ON THE SURFACE OF THE 4 SITES. THE MN POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY (MPCA) SERVED AS EPA'S PRIME CONTRACTOR FOR PHASE 2, THE CLEAN UP OF THE BURIAL SITE. THE MPCA HAD ORGINALLY REQUESTED EPA ASSISTANCE AND CONTINUES TO GIVE ITS FULL SUPPORT TO PURSUIT OF THIS ACTION. <<<<<JUDGES ARE HUSPENI, BOWEN, MINENKO (THREE JUDGE PANEL) TOTAL CLAIMS SOUGHT: $777,727.10 TOTAL RECOVERED : $0.0 TOTAL SPENT : $613,891.89

Defendants (1)

• SPEED-O-LAQ CHEMICAL CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• MPCA ISANTI SOLVENT SITE

  RTE 5 BOX 118, CAMBRIDGE, MN, 55008

  Registry ID: 110006048605

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 107 — Superfund

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• SPEED-O-LAQ CHEMICALS CORP.entered 1987-12-10

  Primary law: CERCLA

  Federal penalty: $85,000

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1983-08-26Referred To Headquarters
• 1983-08-26Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1983-08-29Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 1984-06-01Complaint Filed With Court
• 1987-12-10Final Order Lodged
• 1987-12-10Final Order Entered
• 1987-12-10Concluded
• 1989-01-22Enforcement Action Closed