IN 1998, EPA COMPLETED A REMOVAL ACTION AT THE NATIONAL OIL SERVICES SITE, A FORMER WASTE OIL STORAGE, TREATMENT, TRANSFER, RECYCLING AND DISPOSAL FACILITY IN WEST HAVEN, CT. THE REMOVAL ACTION CONSISTED PRIMARILY OF THE CHARACTERIZATION AND OFF-SITE DISPOSAL OF WASTEWATER, WASTE OIL AND SLUDGE. TO DATE, EPA HAS INCURRED APPROXIMATELY $1.6 MILLION AT THE SITE. EPA IS IN THE PROCESS OF SETTLING THE LIABILITIES OF APPROXIMATELY 400 PARTIES THAT SENT WASTE OIL TO THE SITE. THE SETTLEMENT SHOULD RAISE APPROXIMATELY $810,000. THE SITE IS CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE VERA ASSOCIATES LTD PARTNERSHIP. RALPH AND VERA BELLO ARE GENERAL PARTNERS OF THE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AND ARE, THEREFORE, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PARTNERSHIP'S DEBTS. MR AND MRS BELLO ALSO OWNED THE SITE JOINTLY FROM 1973 TO 1990. (IN 1990 THEY TRANSFERRED OWNERSHIP TO THE PARTNERSHIP.) EPA FILED THIS COMPLAINT ON AUGUST 17, 2001 AGAINST THE PARTNERSHIP, MR & MRS BELLO, AND THE SITE PROPERTY FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S OUTSTANDING PAST COSTS UP TO THE VALUE OF THE SITE.