FROM 1945 TO SOMETIME DURING THE MID 70'S, THIOKOL CORP. DISPOSED OF CHEMICAL WASTES AT THE GOOSE FARM SITE IN PLUMSTED TOWNSHIP, N.J. AS A RESULT OF THIOKOL'S DISPOSAL OPERATIONS, THE UPPER GROUNDWATER TABLE UNDERLYING THE SITE BECAME CONTAMINATED. THIS GROUNDWATER LIES ABOVE THE VINCETOWN AQUIFER WHICH SERVES A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL N.J. IN ADDITION, CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES FROM THE SITE HAVE BEEN RELEASED INTO LAHAWAY CREEK, A TRIBUTARY OF THE DELAWARE RIVER. ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES TAKEN FROM THE UPPER GROUNDWATER AQUIFER AND LAHAWAY CREEK HAVE SHOWN THE FOLLOWING HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES TO BE PRESENT: ARSENIC, BENZENE, ADIPIC ACID, ANTIMONY, BERYLLIUM, CADMIUM, AHLOROFORM, CHROMIUM, ENDRIN, ETHYBENZENE, ETHYLENE DICHLORIDE, LEAD, LINDANE, MERCURY, NAPHTHALENE, NICKEL, PENTACHLOROPHENOL, PHENOLS, SELENIUM, STYRENE, TOLUENE, TRICHLOROETHYLENE, VINYLINDENE CHLORIDE, XYLENES, AND ZINC. ON AUGUST 25, 1980, THE STATE OF N.J. BEGAN EMERGENCY CLEANUP OPERATIONS AT THE GOOSE FARM SITE TO REMOVE CONTAINERIZED HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS AND DECONTAMINATE THE UPPER GROUNDWATER. IN OCT 1980, BASED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE STATE, EPA ASSUMED FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CLEANUP ACTION, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF SECTION 311 OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT (CWA). THE EMERGENCY ACTION MONIES WERE ADMINISTERED BY THE U.S. COAST GUARD AND ARRANGEMENT WAS MADE FOR N.J. TO CONTINUE THE EMERGENCY REMOVAL ACTIONS AND BE REIMBURSED FOR SUCH ACTIONS FROM THE SECTION 311(K)FUND OF THE CWA IN ACCORDA