THE SAPP BATTERY SITE OCCUPIES AN AREA OF APPROXIMATELY 45 ACRES IN A RURAL PART OF JACKSON COUNTY, FLORIDA. IT IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES SOUTH OF THE TOWN OF COTTONDALE AND TWO MILES NORTH OF THE TOWN OF ALFORD. THE SITE IS IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF JACKSON COUNTY ROAD 280 AND WEST OF THE ATLANTA AND ST. ANDREW'S BAY RAILROAD TRACKS. IN 1970, SAPP BATTERY SERVICE, INC., OWNED AND OPERATED BY JERRY SAPP, INITIATED A BATTERY CRACKING OPERATION TO RECOVER LEAD FROM USED AUTOMOBILE BATTERIES. BEGINNING AS A SMALL OPERATION, THE BUSINESS AT ITS PEAK OCCUPIED A 14,000 SQUARE FOOT PLANT AND EMPLOYED APPROXIMA- TELY 35 PERSONS. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH WASTES PRODUCED FROM THE BATTERY CRACKING OPERATION WAS TO DUMP THE ACID FROM THE BATTERIES OUTSIDE OF THE PLANT, WHERE IT RAN SOUTHEAST INTO A SWAMP WHICH EVENTUALLY DRAINED INTO STEELE CITY BAY. THE BROKEN BATTERY CASINGS WERE OF THE PLANT AND ADJACENT TO A SWAMP. THERE IS ALSO AN ABUNDANCE OF BATTERY CASINGS DISTRIBUTED OVER MOST OF THE SITE. IN JANUARY 1980, SAPP ABRUPTLY CLOSED DOWN THE BUSINESS AND LEFT THE STATE. IN RESPONSE TO CITIZEN CONCERN ABOUT HIGH ACIDITY AND LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN STEELE CITY BAY, THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY UNDERTOOK EMERGENCY CLEANUP ACTIONS AT THE SITE. THE SITE WAS PROPOSED FOR INCLUSION ON THE FINAL NPL IN AUGUST 1982. IN SEPT