HOOKER (LOVE CANAL) THIS IS 1 OF 4 LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST HOOKER IN THE NIAGARA FALLS AREA ON DEC 20, 1979. HOOKER DISPOSED OF APPROX 20000 TONS OF HAZARDOUS WSTES AT SITE FROM EARLY 1940S - 1953. IN 1953 HOOKER SOLD PROPERTY TO THE NIAGARA FALLS BRD OF EDUC FOR $1 IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A SITE FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. CHEM FROM THE LANDFILL HAVE BEEN DETECTED IN THE AIR, GRNDWTR, & SOIL NEAR HOMES NEAR SITE (OVER 10 PARTS/MIL OF DIOXIN WAS DETECTED IN THE SEDIMENTS IN SUMPS OF HOMES ADJACENT TO CANAL). THE STATE OF NY DECLARED AN EMERGENCY & RELOCATED 2 BLKS (OR RINGS) OF HOMES IN AUG 1978. A TILE DRAIN COLLECT'N SYSTEM & A CARBON TREATM'T SYS WERE INSTALLED BY THE STATE W/ FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM EPA IN 1979 TO STOP THE MIGRATION OF CHEM FROM LANDFILL. IN 1980, THE PRESIDENT DECLARED LOVE CANAL AREA A DISASTER AREA & AUTHORIZED TEMP RELOCATION. UNDER A STATUTE PASSED BY CONGRESS, THE RESIDENTS IN AREA OF RELOCATION WERE OFFERED FAIR MKT VALUE FOR THEIR HOMES. THIS CASE IS NATIONALLY MANAGED BY EPA HEADQRTRS. EPA'S LOVE CANAL MONITORING STUDY HAS FURTHER DOCUMENTED MIGRATION OF CHEM FROM THE CANAL. HHS HAS DETERMINED THAT THE LEVEL OF CHEM IN SOIL INSIDE 1ST 2 RINGS & IN SEDIMENTS IN STORM SEWERS & STREAM SEDIMENTS PRESENT A HEALTH HAZARD & MUST BE REMEDIED. EPA IS IMPLEMENTING A CERCLA CONTAINMENT PLAN WHICH PROVIDES FOR