ON 11/18/97, REGION 4 APPROVED A CERCLA, SECTION 107(A) COST RECOVERY REFERRAL FOR THE CHEMSPRAY, INC., SITE, PAHOKEE, FL. THE REFERRAL WAS SENT TO DOJ REQEUSTING THAT DOJ INITIATE CIVIL ACTION TO RECOVER APPROX. $865,583.24 IN COSTS INCURRED BY REGION IV IN THE REMOVAL ACTION AT THE SITE. THE REFERRAL REQUESTS THAT DOJ FILE CIVIL ACTION AGAINST THE FORMER SITE OWNERS: MR. JOHN C. HATTON; OPERATORS/GENERATORS: CHEMSPRAY, INC., MR. JUAN MONTALVO, HERCULES, INC., AND NOR-AM CHEMICAL COMPANY; AND PRESENT SITE OWNERS: MR. DAVID E. HILL AND MRS. ANNIE P. HILL; FOR RECOVERY OF SITE REMOVAL ACTION COSTS. FROM 1965 UNTIL 1983, CHEMSPRAY, INC OPERATED A PESTICIDES BUSINESS ON SITE. CHEMSPRAY MIXED, BLENDED, STORED AND DISTRIBUTED PESTICIDES FROM THE SITE. IN 1983, CHEMSPRAY CEASED OPERATION IN PAHOKEE, FL, AND MOVED TO ANOTHER LOCATION. INVESTIGATION OF THE SITE BY THE FLORIDA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION IN 1982 NOTED POSSIBLE SPILLS AND LEAKS OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ONTO THE GROUND THAT COULD RESULT IN THE CONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER, SURFACE WATER AND AIR. REGION 4 INVESTIGATIONS AND STUDIES BEGINNING IN 1985, FOUND THE PRESENCE OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IN THE SOIL, SUBSTANCES WHICH WERE CONSISTENT WITH A PESTICIDE OPERATION. SOIL CONTAMINANTS FOUND ON SITE WERE: ENDRIN, ALDRIN, DIELDRIN, TOXAPHENE, ATRAZINE, PARATHION, DDT, DDD, AND 2,4,5-T.