REGION VII REFERRED THIS LITIGATION TO DOJ FOR FILING A COST RECOVERY CIVIL ACTION AGAINST GOLD FIELDS MINING CORP. (GF) AND VIACOM INTERNATIONAL, INC. (VIACOM). THE COST RECOVERY ACTION IS BASED ON COSTS OF APPROXIMATELY $20 MILLION INCURRED FOR REMOVAL ACTIONS AND TWO FUND LEAD OPERABLE UNIT REMEDIAL ACTIONS AT THE GALENA SUBSITE. REGION VII ALSO ASKED DOJ TO SEEK A PENALTY AGAINST GOLD FIELDS FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER REQUIRING PERFORMANCE OF REMEDIAL DESIGN AND REMEDIAL ACTION AT THE GALENA SUBSITE. THE CHEROKEE COUNTY SITE IS PART OF THE INACTIVE TRI-STATE LEAD AND ZINC MINING DISTRICT LOCATED IN THE CONNECTING CORNERS OF KANSAS, MISSOURI, AND OKLAHOMA. THE SITE HAS APPROXIMATELY 115 SQUARE MILES AND CONTAINS MILLIONS OF TONS OF MINING WASTES WHICH HAVE RELEASED HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES SUCH AS LEAD, CADMIUM, AND ZINC INTO THE ENVIRONMENT. THE GALENA SUBSITE IS ONE OF SIX SUBSITES AT THE CHEROKEE COUNTY SITE. WE BEGAN RESPONSE ACTION AT GALENA BECAUSE IT IS THE WORST SUBSITE. RESPONSE ACTIONS ARE ONGOING AT THE OTHER SUBSITES. REGION VII RESPONSE ACTIONS AT GALENA INCLUDED REMOVAL ACTIONS (RI/FS AND PROVISION OF BOTTLED WATER OR WATER TREATMENT UNITS), AND TWO REMEDIAL ACTIONS. FIRST, WE INSTALLED A PERMANENT ALTERNATE WATER SUPPLY PIPELINE FOR 400 HOMES USING A RURAL WATER DISTRI