ON MARCH 13, 2001, THE REGION REFERRED THE GENDRON JUNK- YARD SITE IN PELHAM NH (THE SITE ) TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR FILING OF A COST RECOVERY ACTION UNDER SECTION 107(A) OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE COMPEN- SATION AND LIABILITY ACT ( CERCLA ), 42 U.S.C. SECTION 9607A AGAINST FREDERICK AND ELIZABETH GENDRON, THE OWNERS/OPERATOR OF THE SITE. THIS ACTION SEEKS RECOVERY OF IN EXCESS OF $2,000,000 IN PAST COSTS INCURRED BY EPA FO A REMOVAL ACTION AT THE SITE. THIS SITE, WHICH INCLUDES A JUNKYARD AND TWO ABUTTING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, IS LOCATED AT 13 HOBBS RD IN PELHAM, NH. SITE OPERATIONS INCLUDED A SCRAP METAL RECYCLING OPERATION THAT PRIMARILY INVOLVED THE PRESSING AND SHREDDING OF JUNK AUTOMOBILES. OVER THE YEARS, AN APPROXIMATLELY 10,000 CUBIC YARD PILE OF AUTO SHREDDER RESIDUE ( ASR OR FLUFF ), A MIXTURE OF DIRT, PLASTIC, RUBBER, WOOD, FABRIC, AND OTHER ON-METALLIC MATERIALS, ACCUMULATED ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE GENDRON'S PROPERTY ON THE VERGE OF WETLANDS, AND ALSO EXTENDED ONTO TWO OF THE ABUTTING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. EPA'S REMOVAL ACTION INVOLVED TREATMENT AND OFF-SITE DISPOSAL OF APPROXIMATELY 11,000 TONS OF CONTAMIN- ATED ASR. ADDITIONALLY, APPROXIMATELY 6,000 TONS OF CONTAMINATED SOIL WERE EXCAVATED, STOCKPILED, TREATED, AND DISPOSED OF OFF-SITE. ALTHOUGH THE REFERRAL NAMES THE SIT