A SITE OWNED BY STANDARD DETROIT REALTY COMPANY AND OPERATED BY STANDARD DETROIT PAINT COMPANY, BRUCE GOOEL AND RIVERSIDE ORGANICS, INC. ON LYNDON AVENUE IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN CONTAINED MORE THAN 2000 DRUMS OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IN UNSECURED AND DETERIORATED CONDITIONS. U.S. EPA DETERMINED THAT AN IMMINENT AND SUBSTANTIAL ENDANGERMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE OR THE ENVIRONMENT EXISTED AND ON APRIL 6, 2000, ISSUED AN ORDER UNDER SECTION 106 OF CERCLA REQUIRING STANDARD DETROIT REALTY COMPANY, STANDARD DETROIT PAINT COMPANY, RIVERSIDE ORGANICS, INC. TO DISPOSE OF THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES.
ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2000, U.S. EPA INFORMED THE RECIPIENTS OF THE CLEANUP ORDER THAT THEY HAD FAILED TO PROPERLY AND PROMPTLY PROVIDE THE REMOVAL ACTIONS REQUIRED BY THAT ORDER. WHILE THE PARTIES HAD INITIATED SOME CLEANUP ACTIVITIES, THEY HAD FAILED TO FOLLOW THE REQUIREMENTS AND THE SCHEDULES IN THE APPROVED WORK PLAN, WHICH WAS AN ENFORCEABLE PART OF THE ORDER. AS A RESULT, U.S. EPA TOOK OVER THE RESPONSE ACTIONS AT THE SITE.
U.S. EPA?S ON-SITE CLEANUP WORK CONTINUED UNTIL APPROXIMATELY APRIL 25, 2001, AND THE KEYS TO THE SITE WERE TURNED OVER TO MR. GOOEL ON MAY 2, 2001. OVERALL, U.S. EPA SPENT AT LEAST $2,766,678.22 AT THE SITE. THIS FIGURE INCLUDES AT LEAST $2,456,409.08 SPENT TO COMPLETE THE REMOVAL ACTION AS A RESULT OF THE POTENTIAL DEFENDANTS? FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE CLEANUP ORDER.
U.S. EPA REQUESTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FILE AN ACTION PURSUANT TO SEC