ON MARCH 22, 1990, AT 4:00 PM, EPA HAND DELIVERED AN ORIGINAL AND COPIES OF A RCRA 7003 UNILATERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER TO TH REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT OF EMPIRE GAS CORP- ORATION AND THE ATTORNEY FOR SALGAS INC. OF CRESTED BUTTE. SALGAS, A CORLORADO CORP. IS WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF EMPIRE, A MISSOURI CORP.. SALGAS OPERATES A PROPANE DISTRI- BUTION SYSTEM IN CRESTED BUTTE, IT'S OFFICES ARE DOWN THE ROAD IN GUNNISON. ON MARCH 20, CRESTED BUTTE TOWN OFFICALS CALLED EPA REGARD- ING WHAT THEY CONSIDERED TO BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE TOWN FIRE MARSHALL HAD DETERMINED THAT AT LEAST THREE BUILD- INGS IN DOWNTOWN CB WERE IN DANGER BECAUSE OF EXTROARDINARIL Y HIGH LEVELS OF PROPANE VAPORS. FURTHER, SUCH LEVELS WERE FOUND UNDERGROUND AT VARIOUS POINTS THROUGH THE AREA. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE CAUSE FOR CONCERN BECAUSE THE BANK IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA WAS RECENTLY DEMOLISHED BY AN UNEXPLAINED EXPLOSION. MANY PEOPLE WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THREE PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES. CRESTED BUTTE WAS ALSO CONCERNED BECAUSE THE STATE HAD NOT RESPONDED EFFECTIVELY. THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TEAMS RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY BY SENDING NUMEROUS QUALIFIED PERSONNE L TO REVIEW THE SITUATION AND MEASURES BEING TAKEN. WHILE THIS RESPONSE WAS BEING IMPLEMENTED IT WAS DETERMINED THAT RCRA WAS THE STATUTE MOST DIRECTLY A