ONGOING STUDIES AT THE ATLAS MINE AND JOHNS-MANVILLE COALINGA ASBESTOS SUPERFUND SITES ( THE MINE AND MILL SITES ) FIRST REVEALED THE POTENTIAL ASBESTOS CONTAMINATION PROBLEM IN THE COALINGA, CALIFORNIA IN 1987. SUBSEQUENT EPA INVESTIGATIONS IN THE CITY OF COALINGA SHOWED THAT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE CITY THAT HAD BEEN USED AS DISTRIBUTION POINTS AND STORAGE FACILITIES FOR THE MILLED ASBESTOS PRODUCTS FROM THE MINE AND MILL SITES WERE HEAVILY CONTAMINATED WITH ASBESTOS. THIS HEAVILY CONTAMINATED AREA OF THE CITY WAS THEN DESIGNATED AS AN OPERABLE UNIT OF BOTH THE MINE AND MILL SITES. SPTC OWNS THE MAJORITY OF THE CONTAMINATED LAND IN THE OPERABLE UNIT ( THE SITE ). THE CITY OF COALINGA ALSO OWNS A SMALL PARCEL OF CONTAMINATED LAND AT THE SITE.