united states vs. city of derby

8/10/2019 United States vs. City of Derby

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UNITED

STATES

DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICT

OF CONNECTICUT

UNITED STATES OF

AMERICA

P l a i n t i f f ,

v .

CITYOF

DERBY CONNECTICUT

D e f e n d a n t .

C i v i l

A c t i o n

No.

COMPLAINT

The n i t e d S t a t e s of merica,

y

u t h o r i t y o f ' t h e

A t t o r n e y

G e n e r a l of

h e

U n i t e d Stags

and

h r o u g h

t h e

u n d e r s i g n e d

a t t o r n e y s ,

a c t i n g a t

t h e

r e q u e s t

of

h e

A d m i n i s t r a t o r of

h e

United

t a t e s

Environmental

r o t e c t i o n

Agency `BPA ),

i l e s

t h i s

complaint and

l l e g e s

a s

f o l l o w s :

NATURE

OF

THE ACTION

L This s a

i v i l a c t i o n u n d e r S e c t i o n s 107(a)

nd

1 1 3 ( g ) ( 2 ) of h e

Comprehensive

Environmental Response,

Compensation, nd

L i a b i l i t y A c t ,

a s amended

CERCLA ), 2

U.S.C. §§

960~(a)

nd 6 1 3 ( g ) ( 2 ) .

I n

t h i s

a c t i o n ,

t h e

U n i t e d S t a t e s

s e e k s c ~

r e c o v e r

c o s t s

i n c u r r e d

and o

be n c u r r e d by

e U n i t e d S t a t e s i n

c o n d u c t i n g a c t i o n s

i n r e s p o n s e t o

r e l e a s e s

o r

t h r e a t e n e d r e l e a s e

of azardous u b s t a n c e s

a t o r

from

h e O ' S u l l i v a n ' s I s l a n d

Superfund S i t e

( S i t e )

l o c a t e d i n

t h e C i t y

of

Derby,

County

of

New

aven,

o n n e c t i c u t .

SDIGTION AND

VENUE

2 .

T h i s

C c > u r t

has

u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r t h e s u b j e c t m a t t e r of

h i s

a c t i o n and

over h e

p a z

t i e s

p u ~ • s u a n t

t o 2$ U,S,C. §§

1331

and

1345, nd

S e c t i o n 113(b) fCERCLA 2

U,S.C,

Case 3:14-cv-01594-WWE Document 1 Filed 10/28/14 of 7



§

613

b ) .

3 . Venue s

p r o p e r i n

t h i s

j u d i c i a l d i s t r i c t

p u r s u a n t

t o 2$

U.S.C. §

1391

and

S e c t i o n

113{b)

of

CERCLA

2 U.S.C. §

61

( b ) ,

b e c a u s e t h e

c l a i m s

a r o s e

i n

t h i s

d i s t r i c t

t h e

r e l e a s e

o r

t h r e a t e n e d

r e l e a s e

of

azardous

u b s t a n c e s o c c u r r e d

i n t h i s

d i s t r i c t

a n d .

h e

S i t e

i s

l o c a t e d

i n t h i s

d i s t r i c t .

DEFENDANT

4 . Defendant

C i t y of erby

Derby ) s a m u n i c i p a l

c o r p o r a t i o n c r e a t e d , o r g a n i z e d

and

e x i s t i n g

u n d e r t h e laws of h e

S t a t e of

o n n e c t i c u t , and a

o l i t i c a l

s u b d i v i s i o n of

h e S t a t e

of

C o n n e c t i c u t .

5 . Derby s a

p e r s o n

w i t h i n t h e meaning of e c t i o n

101(21)

ofCERCLA

2 U.S.C.

9 6 0 1 ( 2 1 ) .

STATUTORYFR~M~WORK

6 .

CERCLA

a s

n a c t e d

i n 1980

o

p r o v i d e

a

comprehensive

governmental

mechanism f o r

a b a t i n g

r e l e a s e s

and

h r e a t e n e d

r e l e a s e s of a z a r d o u s

s u b s t a n c e s

and o t h e r

p o l l u t a n t s

and

c o n t a m i n a n t s

and

f o r

funding

h e

c o s t s

of

uch abat ement and

r e l a t e d

enforcement

c t i v i t i e s ,

which a r e

known s

r e s p o n s e

a c t i o n s . 42

U.S.C.

§§

6 0 4 ( a ) ,

9 6 0 1 ( 2 5 ) .

7 .

Under

S e c t i o n 1 0 4 { a ) ( 1 )

of

CERCLA s

amended,

whenever any

hazardous u b s t a n c e

i s

r e l e a s e d i n t o t h e environment,

r

t h e r e

i s

a

u b s t a n t i a l .

t h r e a t

of

uch

a

r e l e a s e i n t o

t h e

environment,

h e

P r e s i d e n t i s a u t h o r i z e d t o

a c t ,

c o n s i s t e n t

w i t h t h e

N a t i o n a l

Contingency

P l a n , o

remove o r a r r a n g e

f o r s

t h e

removal

of h e h a z a r d o u s s u b s t a n c e .

42

U.S.C.

9 6 0 4 ( a ) ( 1 ) .

8 . Far

CERCLA

e s p o n s e

a c t i o n s

and

enforcement p u r p o s e s ,

t h e

A d m i n i s t i ° a t o r of

LPA

s

t h e

P r e s i d e n t s

d e l e g a t e , a s

p z ~ o v i d e d i n

o p e r a t i v e

E x e c u t i v e

O r d e r s . .

Within

c e r t a i n

l i m i t s , t h e

EPA

d m ~ i n i s t a

a t o r

has

e - d e l e g a t e d

t h i s

a u t h o r i t y

t o

f h e

EPA

egional

d m i n i s t r a t o r s .

2




9 . S e c t i o n 1 0 7 ( a )

ofCERCLA r o v i d e s :

a j N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g

any o t h e r

p r o v i s i o n

o r

r u l e

of

a w , .

and

s u b j e c t o n l y

t o

t h e

d e f e n s e s

s e t

f o r t h i n

s u b s e c t i o n

{b)

f h i s

s e c t i o n

(1)

t h e

owner

and

o p e r a t o r

of

v e s s e l

o r

a

a c i l i t y ,

(2) any

p e r s o n .

who

a t t h e

tune

of

i s p o s a l

of any

h a z a r d o u s

s u b s t a n c e

owned

o r

o p e r a t e d

any f a c i l i t y

a t ~ w h i c h such h a z a r d o u s s u b s t a n c e s were d i s p o s e d

o f ,

...from which t h e r e i s

a e l e a s e ,

o r

a t h r e a t e n e d

r e l e a s e

which

c a u s e s t h e

i n c u r r e n c e

of

e s p o n s e

c o s t s ,

of

a h a z a r d o u s

s u b s t a n c e , s h a l l be

i a b l e

f o r

A)

a l l

c o s t s

of

removal

o r

r e m e d i a l

a c t i o n

i n c u r r e d by

t h e U n i t e d

S t a t e s

Government

...not

n c o n s i s t e n t

w i t h

t h e

n a t i o n a l

c o n t i n g e n c y

p l a n ; ..

42

U.S.C. ~

9 6 0 7 { a ) .

SITE DESCRIPTION AND

FACTUAL

BACKGROUND

1 0 .

The seven- a c r e O S u l l i v a n s

I s l a n d

S i t e i s l o c a t e d on a p e n i n s u l a

a t

t h e

c o n f l u e n c e

of

t h e Housatonic

and

Naugatuck

R i v e r s

i r 1

Derby,


1 1 .

I n

1983, u r i e d

55- g a l l o n

drums

were d i s c o v e r e d a t

t h e

S i t e ,

l e a d i n g

EPA o

conduct

two

removal

a c t i o n s

under

CERCL~1

v e r atwo-year p e r i o d . I n

t h e

f i r s t

conducted l a t e r

i n

19 3,

EPA

emoved

a p p r o x i m a t e l y

200 drums

c o n t a i n i n g

h a z a r d o u s s u b s t a n c e s .

Between

September

1984

and

J a n u a r y

1985,EPA onducted a second

r e m o v a l .

a c t i o n

d u r i n g which t

d i s p o s e d of

p p r o x i m a t e l y 700

d d i t i o n a l

drums c o n t a m i n a t e d w i t h o r

c o 7 7 t a i n i n g h a z a r d o u s

s u b s t a n c e s .

EPA n c u r r e d a p p r o x i m a t e l y

310,000 n

r e s p o n s e

c o s t s i n

p e r f o r m i n g

t h e

t wo

r e m o v a l s .

1 2 .

I n

1987, h e

U n i t e d

S t a t e s and Derby

e n t e r e d i n t o a Consent

Decree r e s o l v i n g t h e

U n i t e d

3




S t a t e s claims

f o r t h e recovery

o f

e s p o n s e c o s t s r e l a t i n g t o

t h e 19 3~and

1985

r e m o v a l a c t i o n s .

United t a t e s v . C i t y

o f

erby,

C o n n e c t i c u t ,

C i v i l Acti on

Nu m b e r

86-67(D.

a n n . ) .

1 3 .

I n June, 2008, h e l o c a l Council

o f G o v e r n m e n t s

c o n t a c t e d

EPA e q u e s t i n g

a s s i s t a n c e

i n

t h e

r e m o v a l

o i r e i n a i n i n g

s o i l

a t

t h e

S i t e

t h a t

w a s

contaminated

w i t h

p o l y c h l o r i n a t e d

b i p h e n y l s

( I C ~ ~ 3 s ) .

E I ~ 1

determined

t h a t

S i t e

c o n d i t i o n s ,

i n c l u d i n g i n p a r t i c u l a r t h e

PCB

- c o n t a m i n a t e d s o i l ,

pos ed a i e a I t h

t h r e a t based

o n p o t e n t i a l

hum a n

c o n t a c t .

EPA

u b s e q u e n t l y determined

t h a t t h e

response

a c t i o n

should a l s o i n c l u d e s a mpl ing an d

d i s p o s a l

o f egra ded

drums

c o n t a i n i n g

hazardous s u b s t a n c e s t h a t

had

b e c o m e exposed

a n d . u n s t a b l e

i n t h e i n t e r v e n i n g y e a r s s i n c e

EPA's r e m o v a l

a c t i o n s

i n

t h e

1 . 9 8 0 s .

1 4 . E 1 f t e r D e r b y d e c l i n e d

t o

u n d e r t a k e t h e a p p r o p r i a t e

work a t

t h e S i t e ,

EPA roc eeded t o

perform

t h e

r e m o v a l a c t i o n .

1

S .

Since ?008,

h e United S t a t e s

has i n c u r r e d

over

4

i l l i o n ,

p l u s i n t e r e s t ,

i n response

c o s t s

a t

a n d

i n

connection w i t h t h e

S i t e .

1 6 .

On

ebruary

27,

19b3,

D e r b y b e c a m e t h e

o w n e r o f

h e

l a n d t h a t

c o n s t i t u t e s t h e

S i t e .

D e r b y

a c q u i r e d

t i t l e

t o

t h e l a n d

through

e x e c u t i o n

o f

a d e e d

b y

t h e

S t a t e

o f


That

d e e d

w a s r e c o r d e d

w i t h t h e

Town

l e r k

f o r

Derby,

o n n e c t i c u t , o n A p r i l

15,

1 . 9 6 3 . A t

l l

times

s i n c e

1963,

D e r b y

has been

t h e o w n e r o f h e

O S u l l i v a n s

I s l a n d

S i t e .

1 7 .

During

t h e

ti m e

t h a t

D e rb y

o w n e d

a n d o p e r a t e d t h e l a n d

a t

t h e

S i t e ,

hazardous

s u b s t a n c e s ,

i n c l u d i n g

PCBs,

were d i s p o s e d

o f

t

t h e S i t e .

1 8 . Hazardous s u b s t a n c e s a s d e f i n e d i n

S e c t i o n

101(14)

o f

CERCLA, 2 .S.C. § 9601(14),

i n c l u d i n g

PCBs,

have been

d e t e c t e d

a t

t h e

S i t e . The r e l e a s e s a n d

t h r e a t e n e d

r e l e a s e s

o f

hazardous

s u b s t a n c e s

a t o r f r o m t h e S i t e

have

c a u s e d . h e United

S t a t e s

t o i n c u r c o s t s

o f esponse

4




n o t i n c o n s i s t e n t

~ r i t h

t h e N a t i o n a l Contingency

P l a n ,

40

C.F.R.

a r t

300,

o f

more

t h a n

$ 4 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 .

GENERAL

ALLEGATIONS

1 9 .

The

i t e

i s

a

a c i l i t y

w i t h i n t h e meaning

of

e c t i o n

l0I

9)

f

CERCLA

2

U.S.C.

9 6 0 1 ( 9 ) .

20.

At l l t i m e s r e l e v a n t t o

t h i s

a c t i o n ,

t h e r e

h a s

b een

a r e l e a s e o r

a

' t h r e a t e n e d r e l e a s e

o f

hazardous s u b s t a n c e s , ' '

n c l u d i n g ,

b u t

n o t l i m i t e d t o , PCBs, n t o t h e

environment

a t

o r

from

t h e S i t e , w i t h i n t h e

meaning

o f S e c t i o n s 1 0 1 ( 1 4 ) ,

I01(22)

and 107(a)o fGERCLA 2

U.S.C.

§§

9601(14),

6 0 1 ( 2 2 ) ,

and 9 6 0 7 ( a ) .

21. Derby

s

w i t h i n t h e c l a s s

o f i a b l e p e r s o n s

d e s c r i b e d i n S e c t i o n s 1 0 7 { a ) (1 ) and a ) { 2 )

o f

CERCLA 2

.S.C.

§§

9 6 0 7 ( a ) { 1 ) and

a ) ( 2 ) ,

b e c a u s e

i t

o w n e d

and

o p e r a t e d

t h e

S i t e

a t

t h e

time of i s p o s a l of hazardous

s u b s t a n c e s

a t t h e S i t e

and s

t h e

c u r r e n t

owner of h e S i t e .

CLAIMFOR ELIEF

R~~SPONSE

COSTS

UNDER

CERCLA SECTION

0 7 ( a )

22.

a r a g r a p h s

1 - 2 1 ,

i n c l u s i v e ,

a r e r e a l l e g e d

and i n c o r p o r a t e d h e r e i n by

r e f e r e n c e .

23. n

u n d e r t a k i n g

r e s p o n s e a c t i o n s t o a d d r e s s t h e

r e l e a s e

o r

t h r e a t

o f

e l e a s e

of a z a r d o u s

s u b s t a n c e s a t

t h e

S i t e ,

t h e

U n i t e d S t a t e s

h a s

i n c u r r e d

` ` r e s p o n s e

c o s t s

a s

d e f i n e d i n

S e c t i o n

101(25) of

CERCLA 2

U.S,C.

§

6 0 1 ( 2 5 ) ,

n c l u d i n g

b u t

n o t l i m i t e d t o

{ a )

h e c o s t s of

i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e

S i t e ,

( b ) h e c o s t s

o f h e removal

a c t i o n , and ( c ) h e c o s t s

o f

a r i o u s

enforcement a c t i v i t i e s .

24.

EPA's

r e s p o n s e

a c t i o n s

t a k e n

a t

o r

i n

c o n n e c t i o n w i t h

t h e S i t e ,

and

t h e c a s t s

i n c u r r e d

i n c i d e n t

t h e r e t o ,

a r e n o t i n c o n s i s t e n t

~ r i t h

t h e N a t i o n a l

Contingency

P l a n , which

wa s

promulgated

p u r s u a n t

t o S e c t i o n

105

of

CERCLA

2 U.S.C. ~

9605,

and

i s

c o d i f i e d

a t

40

5




C.F.R. P a r t 300.

25.

P u r s u a n t . o S e c t i o n s

1 0 7 ( a ) ( 1 )

and

{ a ) ( 2 ) ofCERCLA

2 U.S.C.

§

6 0 7 ( a ) ( 1 ) and

( a ) ( 2 ) , Defendant

Derby s j o i n t l y

and

s e v e r a l l y

l i a b l e

t o

t h e U n i t e d

S t a t e s f o r

l l

c o s t s i n c u r r e d

by

t h e

U n i t e d

S t a t e s

i n

c o n n e c t i o n w i t h

t h e

S i t e ,

i n c l u d i n g

enforcement

c o s t s

a n d . i n t e r e s t

on

l l

such

c o s t s .

PRAYER

FOR ELIEF

WHEREFORE

l a i n t i f f ,

t h e

U n i t e d

S t a t e s

of America

r a y s

t h a t t h e

C o u r t :

a .

E n t e r judgment

i n

f a v o r of

h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

and

a g a i n s t Defendant

Derby

f o r

l l

unreimbursed

r e s p o n s e c o s t s

i n c u r r e d

by t h e

U n i t e d

S t a t e s

r e l a t i n g

t o

t h e

S i t e , i n c l u d i n g

enforcement o s t s and prejudgment i n t e r e s t ,

p u r s u a n t

t o

S e c t i o n

1 0 7 ( a ) ( 4 ) ( A ) ofCERCLA

42

.S.C.

§

9 6 0 7 ( a ) ( 4 ) ( A ) ; and

b .

E n t e r

a g a i n s t Defendant

Derby

and

i n f a v o r

of

h e U n i t e d

S t a t e s ,

p u r s u a n t

t o S e c t i o n

1 1 3 ( 8 ) ( 2 ) of

CERCLA

2

U.S.C.

§

9 6 1 3 ( 8 ) ( 2 ) ,

a

d e c l a r a t o r y judgment on i b i l i t y t h a t w i l l

be

b i n d i n g on

any

s ~ i b s e c ~ u e n t

a c t i o n

o r

a c t i o n s t o

r e c o v e r

f u r t h e r

r e s p o n s e

c o s t s ;

and

c .

Award

t h e

U n i t e d

S t a t e s

i t s

c o s t s

of

h i s

a c t i o n ; and

d . G r a n t . such

o t h e r

and

f u r t h e r r e l i e f a s t h e

Court

d e e m s

u s t and

p r o p e r .

R e s p e c t f u l l y s u b m i t t e d ,

SAMHIRSCH

A c t i n g

A s s i s t a n t

A t t o r n e y

G e n e r a l .

Environment and N a t u r a l

Resources

D i v i s i o n

/ s / P c t e y ~ K. Kauts

P E T E R

K .

KAUTSKY

T r i a l

A t t o r n e y

U. S.

Department of u s t i c e

Environment and

N a t u r a l

Resources

Environmental Enforcement

S e c t i o n

P.O.

Box 761

Washington

D .C.

20044-7611




DETRDRE M DALY

U n i t e d

S t a t e s

A t t o r n e y

D i s t r i c t of o n n e c t i c u t

/ s /

L i s u

E. P e r k i n s

LISA

E .

PERKINS

ct23164)

A s s i s t a n t

U n i t e d

S t a t e s

A t t o r n e y

U.S. t t o r n e y s

O f f i c e

H a r t f o r d O f f i c e

450

Main

S t r e e t ,

Room 28

H a r t f o r d ,

C o n n e c t i c u t 06103

T e l . : 860) 47-ll01

Fax:

860)

60-7979

l i s a , p e r k i n s ~ u s d o j . g o v

:~rZ~l~~[.~1J

Cynthia Lewis

O f f i c e

of

egional Counsel

U. S. Environmental

P r o t e c t i o n

Agency

Region

I


united states vs. city of derby

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