EPA v. ADAMS COUNTY/QUINCY LANDFILLS 2 & 3

Case summary

UNDER THIS SETTLEMENT, THE U.S. EPA WILL RECOVER ITS PAST RESPONSE COSTS -- TOTALLY 224,104.27 -- AND WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR ITS FUTURE RESPONSE COSTS FOR ITS ONGOING OVERSIGHT OF REMEDIAL ACTIONS AT THE SITE. THE SETTLEMENT INCLUDES 7 NON-DE MINIMIS AND 75 DE MINIMIS PARTIES. THE DE MINIMIS PORTION OF THE SETTLEMENT WILL GENERATE APPROXI- MATELY $1,085,827.56 TO HELP PAY FOR U.S. EPA'S COSTS AND HELP PAY FOR THE REMEDIAL ACTION AT THE SITE. THE SEVEN NON-DE MINIMIS SIGNATORIES ARE PERFORMING THE FINAL REMEDY AT THE SITE UNDER A SEPARATE CONSENT ORDER, WHICH WAS ENTERED WITH THE STATE OF ILLINOIS ON MAY 13, 1996. IN THIS CONSENT ORDER, THE NON-DE MINIMIS SETTLORS AGREE TO PAY ALL OF U.S. EPA'S RESPONSE COSTS AND AGREE NOT TO SUE THE DE MINIMIS SETTLORS. THE ADAMS COUNTY/QUINCY LANDFILLS 2 &3 SITE IS A 56 ACRE PROPERTY THAT OPERATED FROM 1967 TO 1978, ACCEPTING REFUSE, DOMESTIC WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM QUINCY AND SURROUND ING AREAS. VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM THE SITE HAVE BEEN DETECTED IN GROUNDWATER AND LEACHATE AT AND AROUND THE SITE. ON AUGUST 30, 1990, U.S. EPA PLACED THE SITE ON ITS NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST. THE ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY( IEPA ) HAS BEEN THE LEAD ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY FOR THE SITE, WITH U.S. EPA'S INVESTIGATION/FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE SITE. THE RI/ FS PROCESS WAS COMPLETED IN 1992. ON SEPTEMBER 29, 1993, IEPA ISSUED A RECORD OF DECISION ( ROD ) SELECTING THE FINAL CLEANUP REMEDY FOR THE SITE, WITH U.S. EPA CONCURRENCE. THE ROD PROVIDED FOR LEACHATE COLLECTION AND TREATMENT, AN UPGRADED LANDFILL COVER, ACCESS AND LAND USE RESTRICTIONS, PROVISION OF A MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY TO NEARBY RESIDENTS, SURFACE WATER CONTROLS, AND LEACHATE AND GROUNDWATER MONITORING. ON MAY 13, 1996, THE QUINCY RD/RA GROUP ('QRG ) -- A GROUP OF SEVEN PRPS WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED IEPA'S NOTICE -- ENTERED A CONSENT ORDER WITH IEPA. UNDER THE CONSENT ORDER, THE QRG AGREE TO PERFORM THE CLEANUP SELECTED IN THE ROD AND TO PAY ALL OF IEPA'S PAST AND FUTURE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IEPA'S OVERSIGHT OF THE CLEANUP. TO DATE, THE QRG HAS PUT SITE ACCESS RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE, COMPLETED THE REMEDIAL DESIGN AND THE FIRST PHASE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LEACHATE COLLECTION SYSTEM, FINAL COVER, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND GROUND WATER MONITORING SYSTEM. THE QRG HAS SPENT ROUGHLY $1 MILLION TO PERFORM THE RI/FS; $342,000 TO PAY IEPA'S OVERSIGHT COSTS TO DATE; AND $5.25 MILLION TO PAY FOR REMEDIAL DESIGN AND THE FIRST PHASE OF REMEDIAL CONSTRUCTION. UNDER ITS CONSENT ORDER WITH IEPA, THE QRG IS RESPONSIBLE TO COMPLETE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE REMEDY, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN ALL ELEMENTS OF THE REMEDY, CONTINUE TO MONITOR GROUNDWATER AND RESPOND AS APPROPRIATE TO ANY FURTHER GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION IDENTIFIED BY THE MONITORING SYSTEM. (THESE FURTHER RESPONSE COSTS COULD, IF NECESSARY, INCLUDE INSTALLING AND OPERATING A GROUNDWATER EXTRACTION SYSTEM). THE QRG ESTIMATES THAT THE FUTURE WORK WILL COST AN ADDITIONAL $9.92 MILLION (INCLUDING AN ESTIMATED $562,000 IN FUTURE OVERSIGHT COSTS).

Defendants (1)

• ADAMS COUNTY/QUINCY LANDFILLS 2 & 3Named in settlement

Facilities (1)

• ADAMS COUNTY QUINCY LANDFILLS 2&3

  2 MILES NORTH OF BURTON TWP 1/2 MI WEST, QUINCY, IL, 62301

  Registry ID: 110009283355

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 107 — Superfund

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• ADAMS COUNTY/QUINCY LANDFILLS 2 & 3entered 1999-05-11

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (2 milestones)

• 1999-05-11Final Order Issued
• 1999-09-21Enforcement Action Data Entered