ON JULY 19, 1996, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT JUDGE CLAUDIA WILKEN APPROVED AND ENTERED THE FOUR CONSENT DECREES BETWEEN EPA AND ALL PRPS AT THE UNITED HECKATHORN SUPERFUND SITE LOCATED IN RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA. THESE SETTLEMENTS ALSO INCLUDE A $400,000 SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE FEDERAL NATURAL RESOURCE TRUSTEES AND THE PRPS. THE DISTRICT COURT ALSO ENTERED THE RELATED CONSENT DECREE BETWEEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE PRPS AS WELL AS APPROVED THE PRP PRIVATE PARTY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. COMBINED THESE SETTLEMENTS HAVE ENDED ALL EXISTING LITIGATION RELATED TO THE SITE, INCLUDING A TWELVE YEAR OLD PRIVATE COST RECOVERY ACTION, LEVIN METALS V. PARR. THE FOUR EPA/PRP CONSENT DECREES WILL REQUIRE PRP FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL REMEDIAL DESIGN AND REMEDIAL ACTION ACTIVITIES AT THE SITE. THE MARINE REMEDIAL ACTION WILL BE COMPLETED BY THIS FALL WITH THE UPLAND REMEDIAL WORK TO FOLLOW BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. THESE REMEDIAL ACTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO COST BETWEEN $8-9 MILLION. PURSUANT TO THESE DECREES, EPA WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR A PORTION OF ITS PASTS COSTS AT THE SITE. GIVEN THE EXISTENCE OF AN ORPHAN SHARE AT THE SITE, EPA'S PAST COST RECOVERY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE RECENTLY ISSUED ORPHAN SHARE POLICY. THE UNITED HECKATHORN SITE IS LOCATED ON THE SHORE OF THE RICHMOND HARBOR AND INCLUDES UPLAND PROPERTY FORMERLY OCCUPIED BY A PESTICIDE FORMULATION PLANT. HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE CONTAMINATION, PARTICULARLY DDT AND DIELDRIN, RELEASED FROM THE FORMULATION PLANT POSES UNAC