EPA v. GULF COAST VACUUM SERVICES SUPERFUND SITE - ATLANTIC-RICHFIE

Case summary

1. SECTION 107 OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION AND LIABILITY ACT OF 1980 ( CERCLA ), 42 U.S.C. SECTION 9607. 2. GULF COAST VACUUM SERVICES SUPERFUND SITE PARISH ROAD P-7-31, 3.5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF ABBEVILLE, VERMILION PARISH, LOUISIANA 70510 RESPONDENTS: SEE SCREEN 3. 3. THE FACILITY OPERATED BY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES AS A TRUCKING TERMINAL, WHICH PROVIDED SERVICES TO THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY FROM ABOUT 1969 TO 1984. THE EVI- DENCE SHOWS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE TRANSPORTATION SER- VICES PROVIDED AND PRODUCTS SOLD TO THE INDUSTRY, THE FA- CILITY DISPOSED OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ON-SITE. DISPOSAL OCCURRED THROUGH DIRECT, INTENTIONAL PLACEMENT OF WASTE INTO ON-SITE PITS AS WELL AS THROUGH WASHING AND RINSING TRUCKS USED FOR HAULING MATERIALS TO AND FROM OIL RIGS. THE CONTAMINATION AT THE SITE IS PRIMARILY ORGANIC AL- THOUGH THERE IS SIGNIFICANT INORGANIC CONTAMINATION. AS A RESULT, EPA CONDUCTED A SERIES OF EMERGENCY REMOVAL AC- TIONS AT THE SITE AS CONTAMINATION MEASURES TO ADDRESS PIT OVERFLOW PROBLEMS DUE TO EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. IN ADDI- TION, EPA INITIALLY ISSUED TWO PROPOSED PLANS ON JUL. 13, 1992, ONE FOR AN INTERIM ACTION TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATE THREATS AND THE OTHER TO ADDRESS LONG-TERM ACTION. THE LONG-TERM PLANT, REFERRED TO AS THE FINAL SOURCE ACTION PROPOSED PLAN, PROPOSED INCINERATION OF CONNTAMINATED SLUDGE, CHEMICAL STABILIZATION/SOLIDIFICATION OF THE IN- CINERATION RESIDUE AND CONTAMINATED SOILS, AND GROUND WATER MONITORING FOR 30 YEARS AS A MEANS OF ADDRESSING THE SITE. THE FINAL SOURCE ACTION WAS LATER CHANGED THROUGH A ROD AMENDMENT TO CONDUCT BIOREMEDIATION IN LIEU OF INCINERATION FOR ORGANIC-CONTAMINATED MATERIALS. AS A RESULT OF THE AFOREMENTIONED CONDITIONS AT THE SITE AND THE ACTIONS TAKEN TO REMEDY THOSE CONDITIONS, EPA HAS IN- CURRED $4,052,748.96 IN PAST COSTS. 4. RELIEF SOUGHT PURSUANT TO SECTION 107(A) OF CERCLA, EPA REFERRED THIS REFERRAL TO DOJ FOR REVIEW BECAUSE RECENT ATTEMPTS TO NEGOTIATE AN AMICABLE SETTLEMENT WITH THE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES HAVE FAILED AND A CLAIM MUST BE FILED TO PROTECT THE U.S. EPA'S ABILITY TO RECOVER COSTS INCUR- RED AT THE SITE. EPA HAS INCURRED APPROXIMATELY $4,052,748.96 IN UNREIMBURSED RESPONSE COSTS AT THE SITE. FURTHERMORE, EPA MAY INCUR ADDITIONAL RESPONSE COSTS DE- PENDING ON THE LONG-TERM EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY AND THE RESULTS OF LONG-TERM GROUNDWATER MONITORING CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE AT THE SITE.

Defendants (22)

• MARATHON OIL COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• DIAMOND SHAMROCKNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• ATLANTIC RICHFIELD COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• BE NEAT TANK CLEANING CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• CHEVRON U.S.A.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• FRANKS PETROLEUM INCORPORATEDNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• GEO MISSISSIPPI DRILLING FLUIDS, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• GLOBAL CHEMICALS, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• GREAT SOUTHERN OIL & GAS COMPANY, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• H.L. HAWKINS AND H.L. HAWKINS, JR.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• HALL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• INTERCOASTAL LIQUID MUD, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• ITT CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• MAR-LOW CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• MURPHY EXPLORATION & PRODUCTIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• POGO PRODUCING COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• STONE ENERGY CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• TEXAS TURN KEY, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• THOMAS BARGE LINES, LTD.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• TIDEWATER, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• TRANSCO EXPLORATION PARTNERS, LTD.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• WELL-VAC INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• GULF COAST VACUUM SERVICES SUPERFUND SITE

  P-7-31 OFF LA 335, ABBEVILLE, LA, 70510

  Registry ID: 110010726740

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 107A — Cost Recovery

Enforcement conclusions (2)

• GULF COAST VACUUM SERVICES SUPERFUND SITE - ATLANTIC-RICHFIEentered 2003-01-31

  Primary law: CERCLA

• **PROPOSED SETTLEMENT**

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 1999-09-13Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1999-09-28Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2002-12-20Complaint Filed With Court
• 2002-12-20Final Order Lodged
• 2003-01-31Final Order Entered