EPA v. AEROJET GENERAL CORPORATI

Case summary

SINCE 1953, AEROJET GENERAL CORPORATION (AEROJET) AND ITS WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARIES HAVE DISPOSED OF LARGE QUAN- TITIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AT ITS SITE IN RANCHO COR- DOVA, CALIFORNIA (NEAR SACRAMENTO). THE DISPOSED SUBSTANCES HAVE INCLUDED ROCKET PROPELLANTS, HERBICIDES, ARSENICS, ALL TYPES OF SOLVENTS AND OTHER ORGANIC AND INORGANIC SUBSTANCES FOUND THROUGH SAMPLING CONDUCTED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. CONTINUED SAMPLING HAS REVEALED COPNTAMINATION OF SOIL, SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER, BOTH ON AND OFF AEROJETS PROPERTY. SEVERE GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION IS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN SINCE IT HAS MIGRATED INTO PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES. THE MOST PREVALENT CHEMICAL FOUND IN THE GROUND- WATER IS TRICHLOROETHYLENE (TCE). IN 1979, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FILED A LAWSUIT A- GAINST AEROJET IN AN EFFORT TO REMEDY THE SEVERE CONTAMINA- TION CAUSED BY THE COMPANY. AS A RESULT OF THAT LAWSUIT, AEROJET HAS CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE TESTING AND ANALYSIS OF ITS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM, AND HAS ALSO DEVELOPED ITS OWN PLAN ATTEMPTING TO REMEDY THE CONTAMINATION. SOME INFORMATION OBTAINED BY EPA REGION IX WHICH IS PURSUANT TO RCRA 3007 AND CERCLA 104 REVEALED THAT AEROJET HAS NOT ADEQUATELY DEFINED THE FULL EXTENT OF IT'S PROBLEM AND THAT THE COMPANY'S NEW REMEDIAL PLAN MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE TO ASSURE LONG TERM PRO- TECTION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT. BECAUSE OF THESE DEFICIENCES, THE THRESHOLD GOAL OF A FEDERAL LAW- SUIT WOULD BE TO REQUIRE AEROJET TO ADEQUATELY DEFINE AND REMEDY ITS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM.

Defendants (2)

• AEROJET GENERAL CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• CORDOVA CHEMICAL COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• AEROJET-GENERAL CORPORATION

  HIGHWAY 50 AND HAZEL AVENUE, RANCHO CORDOVA, CA, 95670

  Registry ID: 110028001187

Statutes cited

• RCRA 3007 — Record keeping, Inspection, Information Request
• CERCLA 107 — Superfund
• SDWA 1431 — Emergency Powers
• CWA 504 — Emergency Powers
• CERCLA 106 — Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• AEROJET GENERAL CORPORATIONentered 1989-06-23

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (9 milestones)

• 1983-07-23Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1983-09-29Referred To Headquarters
• 1984-08-06Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1984-08-06Returned To Region
• 1984-08-28Rereferred
• 1986-01-14Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 1986-01-15Complaint Filed With Court
• 1989-06-23Final Order Lodged
• 1989-06-23Final Order Entered