IN REGION 4, THERE ARE 3 CERCLA SITES AND ONE MULTI-MEDIA SITE AT WHICH TRONOX, INC., OR ONE OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES, IS A RESPONSIBLE PARTY. TRONOX WAS CREATED AS A RESULT OF A SPIN-OFF BY KERR-MCGEE CORP. THE FORMER OPERATOR AT THE TWO CERCLA SITE WAS KERR-MCGEE CHEMICAL, LLC, A FORMER SUBSIDIARY OF KERR-MCGEE CORP. ON JAN 12, 2009, TRONOX FILED FOR CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION, THEREBY HALTING THE REMEDIAL WORK AT THE TWO CERCLA SITES AND UNDERMINING EPA'S OPPORTUNITY FOR A FULL RECOVERY OF RESPONSE COSTS AT ALL OF TRONOX'S REGION 4 SITES.
THERE ARE THREE DEFENDANTS: (1) TRONOX, INC., (2) TRONOX LLC; AND (3) TRONOX PIGMENTS (SAVANNAH), INC.
EPA REGION 4 IS REQUESTING THAT DOJ FILE A PROOF OF CLAIM IN THE TRONOX BANKRUPTCY.
KERR-MCGEE AND TRONOX CURRENTLY OR PREVIOUSLY OWNED AND/OR OPERATED MANY SITES ACROSS THE NATION. THE TRONOX BANKRUPTCY IS SIGNIFICANT TO MANY EPA REGIONAL OFFICES.
2/14/11 - EPA, DOJ AND THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NY TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT TRONOX INC. HAS AGREED TO RESOLVE ITS ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITIES WITH EPA, OTHER FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES, AND THE NAVAJO NATION (COLLECTIVELY, THE GOVERNMENTS ) RELATING TO NUMEROUS CONTAMINATED SITES AROUND THE COUNTRY. PURSUANT TO THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, THE GOVERNMENTS WILL RECEIVE, AMONG OTHER CONSIDERATION, $270 MILLION AND 88 PERCENT OF TRONOX'S INTEREST IN A PENDING FRAUDULENT CONVEYANE LITIGATION.
THE SETTLEMENT AGMT ADDRESSES EPA'S CLAIMS IN TRONOX'S BAN