EPA v. RASMUSSEN, HOMER BRIGHTON

Case summary

THIS PROPOSED COST RECOVERY ACTION UNDER SECT 107 OF CER- CLA CONCERNS THE RASMUSSEN DUMP, AKA WHITMORE LAKE DUMP, LO- CATED IN LIVINGTON COUNTY, 40 MILES WEST OF DETROIT, MICH. IT HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE NAT'L PRIORITIES LIST (NPL). DURING THE LIFE OF THE 33-ACRE DUMP, DRUMMED INDUSTRIAL LI QUIDS, SLUDGE WASTES AND RUBBER BY PRODUCTS WERE ACCEPTED FOR DISPOSAL. A GREAT DEAL OF THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL WAS CONSUMED OR DISPERSED BY A SERIES OF FIRES WHICH OCCURRED AP PROXIMATELY 20 YEARS AGO. HOWEVER, SLUDGES, RUSTED AND LEAK ING DRUMS REMAINED BURIED ON THE SITE. IN ADDITION, SUBSTAN CES SUCH AS POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS AND ORGANIC SOLVENTS FOUND ON SITE WERE BELIEVED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOCALIZED GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION, POSSIBLY OF A DRINKING WATER AQUI FER. LATER PART OF THE RASMUSSEN PROPERTY WAS USED FOR QUARRY. IT WAS THIS GRAVEL MINING OPERATION WHICH EVENTUALLY UNDER- MINED A PORTION OF THE DUMP AND EXPOSED THE BURIED DRUMS AND SLUDGES. DIRECT CONTACT WITH THESE SUBSTANCES WAS POSSIBLE SINCE ACCESS TO THE SITE WAS UNRESTRICTED. FOLLOWING REPEAT ED AND UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS BY THE MICHIGAN DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (DNR) AND USEPA TO INDUCE HOMER RASMUSSEN TO UNDER TAKE VOLUNTARY REMOVAL, AN IMMEDIATE REMOVAL ACTION WAS INI- TIATED. THE REMOVAL ACTION BEGAN IN THE FALL OF 1984 AND ENDED IN EARLY JANUARY 1985. THE REMOVAL OF MOST CONTAMINANTS EFFEC- TIVELY ELIMINATED THE DIRECT CONTACT AND FIRE/EXPOSION THREATS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RASMUSSEN LANDFILL. SOIL AND GROUNDWATER MONITORING IS CONTINUING AS PART OF A JOINT REME DIAL INVESTIGATION AND FEASIBILITY STUDY (RI/FS) COVERING AN ADJACENT NPL LANDFILL.

Defendants (7)

• CHRYSLER CORP.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• FORD MOTOR COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• HOOVER UNIVERSAL, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• PEARSON, ALFRED E., JR.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• RASMUSSEN, CLARANamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• RASMUSSEN, GLORIANamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• RASMUSSEN, HOMERNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• RASMUSSEN SITE CHEM WSTE MGT

  9040 SPICER RD, BRIGHTON, MI, 48116

  Registry ID: 110009292158

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 107 — Superfund

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• RASMUSSEN, HOMERentered 1991-10-30

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 1987-12-22Referred To Headquarters
• 1988-01-04Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1988-01-08Complaint Filed With Court
• 1991-10-30Final Order Lodged
• 1991-10-30Final Order Entered
• 1991-10-30Concluded
• 1995-04-28Enforcement Action Closed