IN 6/81, U.S. FILED SUIT AGST DEF AND PRIVATE OWNRS OF 6 SITES IN HUDSON & NASHUA, NH, ON WHICH DEF HAD DISPOSED OF FRIABLE ASBESTOS WASTE. SUIT WAS ORIG FILED UNDER RCRA 7003 AND WAS AMENDED IN 3/82 TO INCL CRCLA 106(A). U.S. & DEF ENTERED INTO PROTRACTED NEGOT IN EFFORT TO STTL CASE AND HAVE DEF COVER ASBESTOS WSTE AT SIX SITES. HOWEVER, DUE TO MANY REASONS, COMPLETE STTLMNT NEVER REACHED. ON 6/20/82, U.S. FILED PRELIM INJUNCT AGST ALL DEFS TO HAVE SITES CO- VERED, & DEF EVENTUALLY COVERED 2 SITES. ON 8/26/82, DEF FILED CH 11 REORG UNDER BNK REF ACT OF 1978. ON 9/30/82, CRT ISSUED STAY OF PROCEEDINGS IN EPA ENF ORCEMENT ACTION AGST DEF. U.S. MOVED TO VACATE STAY IN DIST CRT BUT CRT AFFIRMED MAGISTRATE ON 11/15/82. U.S. THEN MOVED TO APPEAL ORDER OF AFFIRM, THO APPEAL EVENTUALLY WITH- DRAWN IN FAVOR OF SEEKG CERTIF OF ORDER AS APPEALABLE INTER- LOCUTORY ORDER, TO BE FOLLOWED BY AN APPEAL. BECAUSE OF DEF REFUSAL TO CLEANUP SITES, EPA PROCEEDED W/IMMEDIATE REMOVAL ACTION UNDER CRCLA TO PREVENT FURTHER EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS. EPA GAVE LNDOWNRS OPPORTUNITIES TO PE RFORM CLEANUP AND THEY DECLINED. EPA AUTHORIZED CLEANUP FOR SIX SITES AND A SEVENTH WAS ADDED. TWO LNDOWNRS REFUSED EP A ACCESS TO PERFORM CLEANUP AND U.S. FILED PRELIM INJUNCT UN DER CRCLA 104 SEEKING ACCESS TO PERFORMCLEANUP. EPA INITIA TED RESPONSE ACTION ON 6/29/83 AND COMPLETED WORK ON 7TH SIT E 10/20/83. WORK PERFORMED AT ALL SITES