THE SOUTH BAY ASBESTOS AREA SUPERFUND SITE, ADJACENT TO THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY, ENCOMPASSES THE COMMUNITY OF ALVISO WHICH IS PART OF THE CITY OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. DURING A MAJOR FLOOD IN MARCH 1983, THE CITY OF SAN JOSE CONSTRUCTED A RING LEVEE TO THE EAST, NORTH, AND NORTHWEST OF ALVISO, AS AN EMERGENCY MEASURE TO DIVERT FLOOD WATERS FROM THE COMMUNITY. THE LEVEE, CONSTRUCTED WITH SERPENTINE SOIL AND ROCK FROM A QUARRY OWNED BY A.J. RAISCH COMPANY, WAS LATER FOUND TO CONTAIN UP TO 40% ASBESTOS. IN ADDITION, LOW LEVELS OF ASBESTOS ARE PRESENT IN THE SOIL THROUGHOUT ALVISO, APPARENTLY AS THE RESULT OF BOTH THE LONG-TERM PRACTICE AMONG ALVISO RESIDENTS OF USING FILL MATERIAL WHICH MAY HAVE CONTAINED ASBESTOS TO RAISE LOW-LYING PROPERTY IN THE TOWN, AND THE ALLEGED DISPOSAL OF WASTE ASBESTOS PIPE AND OTHER ASBESTOS MANUFACTURING WASTES AT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE AREA. THE SITE WAS PROPOSED FOR THE NPL IN OCTOBER 1984, AND ADDED TO THE NPL IN JUNE 1986. EPA COMPLETED AN OPERABLE UNIT FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE RING LEVEE IN APRIL 1988, AND SIGNED A RECORD OF DECISION (ROD) FOR THE RING LEVEE IN SEPTEMBER 1988. EPA COMPLETED THE REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION/FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE OVERALL SITE IN FEBRUARY 1989, AND SIGNED A ROD FOR THE OVERALL SITE IN SEPTEMBER 1989. A CONSENT DECREE FOR THE RING LEVEE