UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION …

1 UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENC Y- - J ;~.:::GENERALNOTICELETTERURGENTLEGALMATT EREXPRESSMAIL- Woolard,Jr., Pontde NemoursandCompany1007 Mar~etstreetWilmington,Delaware19898Re:D iamondAlkaliSuperfundSiteNoticeof PotentialLiabilityforResponse~ctionsin thePassaicRiverStudyAreaDearMr. Woolard:TheUnitedstatesEnvironmentalProt ectionAgency("EPA")ischargedwithrespondi ngto thereleaseand/orthreatenedreleaseof hazardousSUbstances,pollutants,andcontam inantsintotheenvironmentandwithenforceme ntresponsibilitiesundertheComprehensiveE nvironmentalResponse,Compensation,andLia bilityActof 1980("CERCLA"),as amended,42 9601~ threatenedreleaseof hazardoussubstances,pollutantsandcontami nantsintothePassaicRiverstudyAreawhichis partof theDiamondAlkaliSuperfundsite(tlsitetl). By thisletterEPAis PontdeNemoursandCompany(UDuPont"),as a successorto PittsburghConsolidatedCoalCompany,of itspotentialliabilityrelatingtotheSitepu rsuantto section107of thePassaicRivercontainnumeroushazardouss ubstances, ~enby EPAindicatedthathazardousmaterialswerebe ingreleasedfromtheformerPitt-ConsolChemi calCompanysNewarkfacilitylocatedat ~91 DoremusAvenuein Newark,NewJersey, ,pollutantsandcontaminantsreleasedfromth efacilityintothePassaicRiverstUdyAreapre senta riskto ,DuPont,as a successorto PittsburghConsolidatedCoalCompany,maybe potentiallyliableforallresponsecostswhic hthegovernmentmayincurrelatingto (a)and107(a)of CERCLA,42 9606(a)and 9607(a)andotherlaws,potentiallyresponsib leparties(MPRPsM)

2 Maybe obligatedto implementresponseactionsdeemednecessaryb y EPAto protectpUblichealth,welfareor theenvironment,andmaybe liableforallcostsincurredby thegovernmentin respondingto anyreleaseor responseactionsareperformedby EPAratherthanby thePRPs,thosePRPsmaybe sUbjectto legalactionpursuantto section107(a)of CERCLA,42 9607(a),to recoverpublicfundsexpendedby EPAin responseto thereleaseandthreatenedreleaseof hazardousmaterialsat ,butneednotbe limitedto,expendituresforconductinga RemedialInvestigation/Feasibilitystudy(I IRIfFSIt),a RemedialDesign/RemedialAction,andotherin vestigation,planning,response,oversight, addition,responsiblepartiesmaybe requiredtopaydamagesforinjuryto,destruct ionof,or lossof naturalresources,includingthecostof invokespecialnoticeprocedures,EPAherebyn otifiesyouthatit willnotutilizethespecialnoticeprocedures containedin section122(e)of CERCLA,42 9622(e).

3 EPAhasconcludedthatuseof thespecialnoticeproceduresin section122(e)of CERCLA woulddelaytheimplementationof theRI/FSwhichis currentlybeingperformedat thesiteto determinetheextentof contaminationandto evaluatepossibleactionsto a subsequenttimewhetheradditionalmeasuresa rerequiredto mitigatereleasesfromthesitein orderto protectthepUblichealth,welfare, use thespecialnoticeproceduresdoesnotpreclud eyoufromenteringintodiscussionswithEPAre gardingyourparticipationin activitiesat thisletter,EPAencouragesyou,as a PRP,to voluntarilyparticipatein theEPA-approvedactivitiesunderwayat thePassaicRiverstudyAreain thepresenttime,theOccidentalChemicalCorp oration("OCC")isperformingan RI/FSat thesiteunderan ,througha successor,MaxusEnergyCorporation,canbe contactedat theaddresseslistedin theAttachmentto advisedthatnoticeof yourpotentialliabilityat thesiteis beingforwardedto aceby youareinterestedin participatingin theongoingresponseactionyoushouldnotifyE PAof yourintentionsto in writingandshouldbe deliveredto EPAno laterthatfourteen(14) sentto:LanceR.

4 Richman, ,Floor19 NewYork,NY10007-1866,witha copyto ,Esq.,of theOfficeof RegionalCounselat EPAdoesnotreceivea writtenresponsefromyouin thetimespecifiedabove,EPAwillassumethaty ouvoluntarilydeclinetoparticipatein anyof theresponseactionstakingplaceat pursueitsavailableenforcementoptionswith regardto youwishto discussthismatterfurther, Richman, ,of my staffat (212) (212) directedto ,or-v~~~athleenCallahan, Reilly,Esq., Pontde , 'Elkins, McNuttMaxusEnergyCorporation842990003 TIERRA-B-016110 McNuttMaxusEnergyCorporation1015 BellevilleTurnpikeKearny,NewJersey07032 , Elkins, ,Texas75201-2916 PRPsin receiptof RogerHirlPresidentandChairmanof theBoardOccidentalChemicalCompanyOcciden talTower5005 LBJF reewayDallas,Texas75244 BrianC. Kelly, , ,NewYork10022 Counsel:Petersimshauser, ,Arps,Slate,Meagher& Flom300 SouthGrandAvenueLosAngeles, McNeeley,PresidentReillyIndustries, ,IN Breen,Chairmanof theBoardTheSherwin-WilliamsCompany101 ProspectAvenue, , SENDER:!

5 End/o'2 foredditJonal"NIc .I . ""~&b. PrimyOu,nem "" " ,.. ,eturntnil"' . Attech'Ili. 'ormto thefrontof ep_doe.""1P81mit.~ Write"RItumRlIC-'Pl"equelled" ,~ AetumReceiptwAI'howto ~ ~"'nicleAddresSedto:i EdgarWoolard,Jr., Pontde Nemoursand ,Delaware19898, a'sowishtoreceivethe'alloWingsarvicesIto ranextrafee) Addressee' GPO:1~714 DOMESTICRETURNRECEIPTS ignaiuretAddreSSBII) '.UNITEDSTATESPOSTALSERVICEI II II ,addressandZIPC odehereLanceRichmanUSEPA- RegionII290 Broadway- 04\; 111\1\ 111\\ 111\\ 1111111\ III\ I\11\ I! i\1 \ I J ,\J II' i 1111111!I1II 842990006 TIERRA-B-016113 UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENC YREGION2290 BROADWAYNEWYORK,NY10007-1866 SEP152003 GENERALNOTICELETTERCERTIFIEDMAIL-RETURNR ECEIPTREQUESTEDE dgarWoolard, Nemours& :DiamondAlkaliSuperfundSiteNoticeof Potentia]LiabilityforResponseActionsin theLowerPassaicRiver, :TheUnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionA gency("'EPA")is chargedwithrespondingto thereleaseand/orthreatenedreleaseof hazardoussubstances,pollutants,andcontam inantsintotheenvironmentandwithenforceme ntresponsibilitiesundertheComprehensiveE nvironmentalResponse,Compensation,andLia bilityActof 1980,as amended("CERCLA"), 9601et~.

6 Youreceiveda letterfromBPA,datedOctober7, 1995, Nemours& Co.(" ")of its potentialliabilityrelatingto thePassaicRiverStudyArea,whichis partoftheDiamondAlkaliSuperfundSite("Sit e")locatedin ,pursuantto Section107(a)of 9607(a).UnderCERCLA,potentiallyresponsib leparties("PRPs")includecurrentandpastow nersof a facility,as wellas personswhoarrangedforthedisposalor treatmentof hazardoussubstancesat theSite,or thetransportof hazardoussubstancesto ,EPA is seekingyourcooperationin an innovativeapproachto threatenedreleaseof hazardoussubstances,pollutantsandcontami nantsintothesix-milestretchof theriver,knownas thePassaicRiverStudyArea,whichis partof theSitelocatedin Newark, theresultsof reconnaissancestudyof thePassaicRiverconductedbytheUnitedState sAnnyCorpsof Engineerse'VSACE'').

7 EPAhasfurtherdeterminedthatcontaminateds edimentsandotherpotentialsourcesofhazard oussubstancesexistalongtheentire17-milet idalreachof A hasdecidedto expandtheStudyto includethearealextentof contaminationto whichhazardoussubstancesfromthesix-miles tretchweretransported;andthosesourcesfro mwhichhazardoussubstancesoutsidethesix-m ilestretchhave'cometo (URL). :yclable PrintedwithVegetable011 BasedInllsonRecycledPaplII'IMlnlmum50%Po stconsumarcontem)TIERRA-B-016114In recognitionof partnershipwithUSACE andtheNewJerseyDepartmentof Transportation-Officeof MaritimeResources("OMR'')['"thegovernmen talpartnership'1to identifyandto addresswaterqualityimprovement, consistentwitha nationalMemorandumof Understanding("MOV")executedonJuly2, agreeingto a , 'sauthoritystemsfromtheWaterResourcesDev elopmentAct("WRDA'').]

8 WRDA allowsfortheuseof somefederalftmdsto payfora portionof theUSACE'sapprovedprojectsrelatedto theLowerPassaicRiverProject,thegovernmen talpartnersareproceedingwithan integratedfive-to seven-yearstudyto determinean environmentalimpactsandpollutionsources, as wellas evaluationof beingconductedbyEPAundertheauthorityof CERCLA andbyUSACEandOMR,as localsponsor, ,USACE,andOMRestimatethatthestudywillcos tapproximately$20million,withtheWRDAandC ERCLA sharesbeingabout$ shareof thecostsof its investigationof theSite,EPAbelievesthathazardoussubstanc eswerebeingreleasedfromthefonnerPitt-Con solfacilitylocatedat 191 DoremusAvenuein Newark,NewJersey, ,pollutantsandcontaminantsreleasedfromth efacilityintotheriverpresenta riskto ,E.!.duPontmaybe potentiallyliableforresponsecostswhichth egovernmentmayincurrelatingto thestudyof addition,responsiblepartiesmayberequired to paydamagesforinjwyto,destructionof,or lossof naturalresources,includingthecostof a listof 'sfindingsontheidentitiesofPRPsto locateadditionalPRPswhohavereleasedhazar doussubstances,directlyor indirectly, ,or exclusionfrom,thelistdoesnotconstitutea finaldetenninationbyEPAconcerningtheliab ilityof anypartyforthereleaseOrthreatof release-ofhazardoussubstancesat theSiteis beingforwardedto "cooperatingparty"fortheLowerPassaicRive r851700002 TIERRA-B-016115.

9 " cooperatingparty,you, 'sshareof thestudy,it is expectedthatCERCLAandWRDA processeswiUbe usedto identifYtherequiredremediationandrestora tionprograms,as wellas theassi8nmentof ,thecommitmentsofthecooperatingpartieswi llapplyonlyto ,pursuantto Sections106(a)and107(a) 9606(a)and 9607(a)andother" CERCLAS ection113(k).EPAmustestablishan administrativerecordthatcontainsdocument sthatfonnthebasisof EP A'sdecisionontheselectionof a theresponseactionselectedforthisSitearel ocatedat EPA'sRegion2 office( ) (212)637-4308to makean appointmentto viewtheadministrativerecordfortheLowerPa ssaicRiverProj~ ))be holdinga 10:00 AMin ConferenceRoom27 A at theRegion2 datein theLowerPassaicRiver,as wellas ,PRPswiJIbe giventheopportunityto caucus,andEPAwillreturnto advisedthatduetoincreasedsecuritymeasure s,allvisitorsneedto be registeredwiththesecuritydeskin thelobbyin orderto gainentryto orderto ensurea provideEPAwitha listof steeringcommitteeto representthegroup'sinterestas soonas possible,sinceEPAexpectsa fundingcommitmentforthefinancingof theCERCLA shareof the$20millionstudyby youwishto discussthisfurther, , (212)637-4427or ,AssistantRegionalCounsel,at (212) ,Oyy~-GeorgePavlou,DirectorEmergencyandR emedialResponseDivisionEnclosurecc:Berna rdJ.

10 Reilly, !.duPontde Nemours& Receiptof NoticeLetters:Ip~-LegalCounselJ. , theBoardAndrews& ,Suite3700 OccidentalTowerDallas,Texas752015005 LBJF reewayDallas,Texas75244 JosephGabrielPhilipSellinger, ,NJ07102 Rochester,NewYork14652-6280 RobertBall,PresidentLawrenceSalibra, , ~Ohio44114 MayfieldHts.,OH44124 MarkEpstein,PresidentEricAronson, ,NewJersey07032 Newark,NJ07102 AlanBendelius,PresidentFrediL. Pearlmutter, , ,Rose& English.,LLPL indenAvenue480 MorrisAvenueRidgefield,NewJersey07657 Summit,NewJersey07901 1527 WilliamGentner,PresidentA. ChristianWorrellIII, Ritchey, ,Ohio45214511 WalnutStreetCincinnati,OH45202 GaryCappeline, ,OH43017 KlausPeterLoebbe,PresidentNanBernardo, , , ,VicePresidentGerardHickel, ,Pennsylvania15205-9741 Pittsburgh,PA15205-9741 YvanDupay,PresidentArthurSchulz, , ,NewJersey07645 Washington,DC20016 AlbertoCeIleri, BaldwinCourt29-75 RiversideAvenueRoseland,NewJersey07086 Newark,NJ07104 PresidentBrianKelly, , ,46thFloor767 FifthAvenue,46thFloorNewYork,NewYork1015 3 NewYork,NY10153 JohnGuffey,President: JohnR.