ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2001, EPA, REGION III ISSUED AN ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT AGAINST TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE WALKER MANUFACTURING COMPANY ( TENNECO ), A DIRECT SUBSIDIARY OF TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE, INC. TENNECO IS LOCATED IN HARRISBURG, VIRGINIA. THE COMPLAINT WAS ISSUED PURSUANT TO SECTION 103 OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION AND LIABILIT ACT OF 1980, AS AMENDED, ( CERCLA ), 42 U.S.C. SECTION 9603. IN THE COMPLAINT, EPA ALLEGES THAT TENNECO FAILED TO TIMELY NOTIFY THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER OF THE RELEASE INTO THE ENVIRONMENT ON FEBRUARY 18, 2000 OF 3,224 POUNDS OF CHROMIC ACID. THE CHROMIC ACID WAS RELEASED WHEN A CONTAINER WAS PUNCTURED BY A FORKLIFT. EPA HAS PROPOSED A PENALTY OF $24,063.