THIS IS A PROPOSED ACTION TO RECOVER $581,250.85 + ENFORCEMENT COSTS EXPENDED AT CALIFORNIA MARYLAND DRUM SITE. US HAS AUTHORITY TO BRING ACTION UNDERS EC 107 OF CERCLA. MARYLAND BANK AND TRUST CO IS OWNER OF PROPERTY KNOWN AS THE CALIFORNIA, MARYLAND DRUM SITE (CMD SITE), A 117 ACRE FARM LOCATED ON ST RD #4 1 MI S OF JUNCTION W/ST RD #235, NEAR TWN OF CALIFORNIA IN ST. MARY'S CNTY, MD. ON 06/20/84, MARK WAYNE MCLEOD, SON OF NOW-DECEASED HERSCHEL MCLEOD, SR., OWNER/OPERATOR OF SITE DURING PERIOD OF DUMPING, NOTIFIED CNTY HEALTH DEPT ABOUT DUMPING AT CMD SITE. CNTY, IN TURN, CONTACTED MD DEPT OFHEALTH & HYGIENE, WHICH CONTACTED EPA. INSPECT OF SITE REVEALED LARGE NUMBER OF DRUMS, ON SURFACE AND BURIED. MANY DRUMS RUSTED, PUNCTURED, OR DETER- IORATED AND LEAKING. LEAKAGE EVIDENT ON GROUND. ALSO EVID- ENCE OF LIQUID DUMPING. PRELIM SAMPLING REVEALED VERY HIGH LEVELS OF SEVERAL HAZ SUBSTSANCES, INCL CHROMIUM, LEAD, ZINC , XYLENES, TOLUENE, ETHYLBENZENE, AND CYANIDE. POTENTIAL FOR RELEASE OF HYDROGEN CYANIDE EXISTED DUE TO CLOSE PROX-IM ITY OF CYANIDE IN SOIL AND DETERIORATING DRUMS W/ACIDS. EPA DETERMINED RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH INVOLVED AND A RESPONSE/REMOVAL ACTION UNDERTAKEN TO SAMPLE, EXCAVATE, AND REMOVE DRUMS AND CONTAMINATED SOIL. DEF, MARYLAND BANK AND TRUST, GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO DO CLEANUP AND DECLINED. DEMAND FOR PAYMENT