# MUSSELMAN, SCOTT-PEERLESS PLATING
> **Judicial** · FY1984 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `25285`
- **Case Number:** 05-1984-0043
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $160K
- **Cost recovery:** —
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- PEERLESS PLATING CO (complaint) (settlement)
- SCOTT MUSSELMANN (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

BACKGROUND AND NATURE OF CASE                                   THIS REFERRAL CONCERNS A PROPOSED COST RECOVERY ACTION  UNDER SECTION 107 OF CERCLA.  PEERLESS PLATING CO., LOCATED  AT 2554 GETTY STREET, MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, WAS CONSTRUCTED IN OR ABOUT 1937 AND ESTABLISHED AS A JOB SHOP PLATING OPERA-   TION.  THE FACILITY WAS OPERATED UNTIL JUNE 30, 1983, WHEN   REGULATORY ACTION, LABOR RELATIONS PROBLEMS, AND FINANCIAL   CONDITIONS FORCED IT TO CLOSE.                                    PEERLESS DECLARED BANKRUPTCY IN AUGUST, 1983.  THE      FACILITY HAD BEEN LEFT IN OPERATIONAL CONDITION, THAT IS,    ALL PLATING SOLUTIONS REMAINED IN THE PLATING LINES, RAW     MATERIALS WERE STORED IN TANKS AND ORIGINAL CONTAINERS, AND  DRUMS OF WASTE MATERIAL WERE STORED THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING. ACCESS WAS GENERALLY UNRESTRICTED.                                DURING THE WEEK OF AUGUST 22, 1983, LOCAL AND STATE     AUTHORITIES DETECTED CYANIDE GASES IN THE FACILITY ATMOS-    PHERE.  THEY NOTIFIED U.S. EPA'S REGION V SPILL RESPONSE     SECTION ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1983.                                     ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1983, AN ON-SCENE COORDINATOR DETERMINE D THAT AN IMMEDIATE REMOVAL PURSUANT TO SECTION 104 OF CERCL A WAS NECESSARY TO ABATE THE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS AT THE     SITE (EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE AND TOXIC MATERIALS AND POISON-  OUS GASES).  REMOVAL WORK WAS INITIATED ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1983 AND CONCLUDED ON OCTOBER 7, 1983.  APPROXIMATELY 37,000      GALLONS OF HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS WERE REMO

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