THE SITE IS LOCATED IN LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS (APPROXIMATELY ONE TO ONE-HALF MILES NORTH OF THE VILLAGE OF WAUCONDA AND THREE MILES EAST OF THE VILLAGE OF ISLAND LAKE), AND REALLY OCCUPIES APPROXIMATELY 74 ACRES. PRIOR AND UP TO APPROXIMATELY 1941, SAND AND GRAVEL PIT OPERATIONS WERE CONDUCTED AT THE SITE. SUBSEQUENTLY, FROM THE EARLY 1940S UNTIL 1978, LANDFILL OPERATIONS WERE CONDUCTED AT THE SITE, DURING WHICH TIME VARIOUS RESIDENTIAL, MUNICIPAL, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL WASTES WERE DISPOSED OF AT THE SITE. IN 1978, LANDFILL OPERATIONS AT THE SITE PERMANENTLY CEASED. IN 1983, AS A RESULT OF INVESTIGATIONS AND STUDIES CONDUCTED BY THE ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ( IEPA ) AND U.S. EPA WHICH INDICATED THE ACTUAL OR THREATENED RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, THE SITE WAS PLACED ON THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST. LATER THAT YEAR, U.S. EPA INITIATED A REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION ( RI ) AND A FEASIBILITY STUDY ( FS ). U.S. EPA COMPLETED THE RI IN AUGUST, 1984 AND THE FS IN AUGUST, 1985. ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1985, U.S. EPA SIGNED A RECORD OF DECISION ( ROD ) WHICH, IN ACCORD WITH THE RI/FS, REQUIRED THAT INTERIM REMEDIAL MEASURES BE UNDERTAKEN, INCLUDING REPAIR OF AN EXISTING LANDFILL CAP AND INSTALLATION OF BOTH A LEACHATE COLLECTION SYSTEM AND A PERIMETER FENCE AROUND THE SITE. IN ADDITION, THE ROD REQUIRED THAT A SUPPLEMENTAL RI/FS ( SRI