THE REGION HAS PROVIDED DOJ WITH A PRE-REFERRAL NEGOTIATION REPORT TO SUPPORT A REQUEST FOR CERCLA SECTION 106/107 PRE-REFERRAL NEGOTIATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE SPECTRON SUPERFUND SITE, FOR REMEDIAL DESIGN AND REMEDIAL ACTION RELATED TO OPERABLE UNIT 1, AND RECOUPMENT OF APPROXIMATELY $3 MILLION IN EPA COSTS. THE REGION RECOMMENDED THAT SUCH NEGOTIATIONS BE COMMENCED WITH 49 DE MAXIMIS PARTIES AND THE SITE PROPERTY OWNER. THERE ARE OVER 1,000 POTENTIALLY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES (PRPs) RELATED TO THIS SITE, INCLUDING THE ABOVE DE MAXIMIS ENTITIES. EPA SETTLED THE LIABILITY OF APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THOSE PRPs, IN A GLOBAL DE MINIMIS SETTLEMENT THAT WAS ENTERED BY THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND IN MARCH 2003 (CIVIL NO. AMD 02-3858).
THE SITE IS AN 8-ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED ON PROVIDENCE ROAD IN ELKTON, CECIL COUNTY, MARYLAND ON WHICH SOLVENT RECLAMATION ACTIVITIES OCCURRED FROM THE 1960s TO 1980s. SOIL AND GROUND WATER AT THE SITE ARE CONTAMINATED WITH HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, INCLDUING VOLATILE ORGANIC COUMPOUNDS. IN 1989, EPA DETERMINED THAT THE SITE POSED AN IMMINENT AND SUBSTANTIAL THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMENCED A REMOVAL RESPONSE ACTION WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY WAS TAKEN OVER BY A GROUP OF PRPs. SINCE THEN, EPA HAS OVERSEEN THE PRPs' COMPLETION OF THE REMOVAL ACTION AND CONDUCT OF THE REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION AND FEASIBILITY STUDY AT THE SITE. EPA EXPECTS TO ISSUED THE RECORD OF DECISION FOR OPERABLE UNIT 1 IN EARLY 2