06/30/98: CERCLA 122(E) SPECIAL NOTICE AND DEMAND LETTER SIGNED BY USEPA AND MAILED TO PRPS ON ATTACHED LIST. 08/04/98: USEPA HOLDS MEETING IN CHICAGO FOR PRPS. 09/10/98: USEPA RECEIVES SOME OFFERS AND EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST TO SETTLE FROM CERTAIN PARTIES. RD/RA & COST RECOVERY NEGOTIATIONS ONGOING. THE ORGANIC CHEMICALS, INC. SITE IS APPROXIMATELY 5 ACRES LARGE. PETROLEUM REFINING WAS DONE ON THE SITE DURING WWII, AND FROM 1945 UNTIL 1966, A PETROLEUM DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS WAS OPERATED ON THE SITE. ORGANIC CHEMICALS, INC., OPERATED BOTH A SOLVENT RECLAMATION AND SPECIALTY CHEMICALS MANUFAC- TURING BUSINESS ON THE SITE COMMENCING IN 1968, AND CLOSING IN 1991. THE OCI SITE WAS LISTED ON THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST IN 1983. EXTENSIVE RELEASES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES TO THE SOIL AND GROUNDWATER OCCURRED AT THE SITE FROM OCI'S SOLVENT RECLAMATION AND CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS, CHEMICAL SPILLS AND FIRES, AS WELL AS THE EARLIER REFINING OPERATIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN 2 RODS FOR THE SITE: AN INTERIM ROD FOR GROUNDWATER PUMP AND TREAT OF VOC AND SVOC CONTAMI- NATED GROUNDWATER, AND A FINAL ROD FOR GROUNDWATER AND SOIL REMEDIATION. ON JUNE 11, 1999, THE UNITED STATES, ON BEHALF OF U.S. EPA FILED A CERCLA SECTION 106(A) & 107(A) COMPLAINT AGAINST 44 DEFENDANTS SEEKING PERFORMANCE OF A CERCLA CLEAN-UP AND PAY- MENT OF U.S. EPA'S PAST AND FUTURE C