THE SOLID STATE CIRCUITS SUPERFUND SITE IS LOCATED IN REPUBLIC, MISSOURI. FROM 1968 TO 1973, SOLID STATE CIRCUITS, INC. (SSC) GENERATED COPPER-BEARING WASTE WATERS AND SPENT TCE, WHICH WAS RELEASED INTO THE GROUNDWATER THAT SUPPLIES THE CITY OF REPUBLIC. AS A RESULT OF REMOVAL ACTIVITIES BY BOTH THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (MDNR) AND EPA, THE AREA WAS EXCAVATED AND CONTAMINATED SOIL WAS DISPOSED OF OFF-SITE. ON APRIL 13, 1985 MDNR FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST SSC IN WHICH IT ALLEGED SSC WAS LIABLE TO THE STATE UNDER SECTION 107(A) OF CERCLA AND THE MISSOURI COMMON LAW OF NUISANCE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF COSTS INCURRED OR TO BE INCURRED BY THE STATE IN CONNECTION WITH THE SITE AND FOR DAMAGES FOR INJURY TO THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE STATE. ON MAY 26, 1986, THE STATE AND SSC ENTERED INTO A PARTIAL CONSENT DECREE WHICH ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF PAST RESPONSE COSTS AND LEFT OPEN THE OTHER ISSUES. ON NOVEMBER 20, 1986, THE STATE AND SSC ENTERED INTO A SECOND PARTIAL CONSENT DECREE ON CERTAIN ISSUES, BUT LEFT OPEN THE ISSUES OF LIABILITY FOR FUTURE RESPONSE COSTS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DAMAGES. ON JULY 17, 1987, THE UNITED STATES, ON BEHALF OF EPA, FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST SSC PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 104 AND 107 OF CERCLA, IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES SOUGHT: (1) RECOVERY OF COSTS RESULTING FROM THE REMOVAL ACTION; (2) DECLARATORY JUDGMENT FOR FUTURE RESPONSE COSTS;