EPA REFERRED A SIGNED CONSENT DECREE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ON JULY 25, 1995, FOR THE FIRST OPERABLE UNIT AT THE PETERSON/PURITAN, INC. SUPERFUND SITE IN THE TOWNS OF LINCOLN AND CUMBERLAND, RHODE ISLAND. AS A RESULT OF DOJ'S PARALLEL APPROVAL PROCESS OF THE SETTLEMENT, THE UNITED STATES WAS ABLE TO LODGE THE CONSENT DECREE TWO DAYS LATER ON JULY 27, 1995. THE SETTLEMENT EMBODIED IN THE CONSENT DECREE PROVIDES THAT FIVE SETTLING PARTIES, CCL CUSTOM MANUFACTURING, INC., CPC INTERNATIONAL, INC., PACIFIC ANCHOR CHEMICAL COMPANY, LONZA INC., AND SUPERVALU OPERATIONS, INC. (THE SETTLING DEFENDANTS'), WILL PERFORM EPA'S SELECTED REMEDY FOR OU1 AND WILL REIMBURSE THE UNITED STATES FOR $1,090,615.56 IN PAST COSTS AND AN ESTIMATED $1.5 MILLION IN FUTURE OVERSIGHT COSTS RELATING TO OU 1. THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE SETTLEMENT, INCLUDING WORK AND COST REIMBURSEMENT, IS APPROXIMATELY $10 MILLION. THE SETTLEMENT REPRESENTS AN APPROXIMATELY 98% RECOVERY IN RESPONSE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH OU 1. ONE NOVEL ASPECT OF THE SETTLEMENT IS THAT THE SETTLING DEFENDANTS HAVE BEEN DIVIDED INTO TWO REMEDIAL AREA GROUPS BASED ON THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR TWO DISTINCT AND DIVISIBLE PLUMES OF CONTAMINATION. EACH REMEDIATION AREA GROUP WILL PERFORM THE WORK ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONTAMINATON EMANATING FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE FACILITY AREAS. A GROUNDWATER MONITOR- ING PROGRAM WILL BE JOINTLY CONDUCTED