Source: http://openjurist.org/990/f2d/1565
Timestamp: 2015-04-18 13:30:43
Document Index: 419741954

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 6901', '§ 9601', '§ 9507', '§ 6926', '§ 9605', '§ 9604', '§ 6924', '§ 6924', '§ 6925', '§ 6928', '§ 6926', '§ 6929', '§ 6926', '§ 6961', '§ 9605', '§ 9604', '§ 9611', '§ 9507', '§ 9607', '§ 9605', '§ 300', '§ 9611', '§ 9620', '§ 6926', '§ 25', '§ 9621', '§ 9621', '§ 9620', '§ 9621', '§ 9617', '§ 9620', '§ 2201']

990 F2d 1565 United States v. State of Colorado | OpenJurist
990 F. 2d 1565 - United States v. State of Colorado	Home990 f2d 1565 united states v. state of colorado
990 F2d 1565 United States v. State of Colorado 990 F.2d 1565
36 ERC 1377, 61 USLW 2620, 23 Envtl.L. Rep. 20,800
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,v.STATE OF COLORADO and Colorado Department of Health,Defendants-Appellants.State of Alaska, State of Arkansas, State of California,State of Connecticut, State of Indiana, State of Iowa, Stateof Kansas, Commonwealth of Kentucky, State of Michigan,State of Minnesota, State of Missouri, State of Nebraska,State of Nevada, State of New Mexico, State of New York,State of North Carolina, State of Ohio, State of Oregon,Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, State of Tennessee, State ofUtah, and State of Wyoming, Amici Curiae.
April 6, 1993.Rehearing Denied June 30, 1993.
Gale A. Norton, Atty. Gen., State of CO (Raymond T. Slaughter, Chief Deputy Atty. Gen., Timothy M. Tymkovich, Sol. Gen., Patricia S. Bangert, Deputy Atty. Gen., Lynn B. Obernyer, First Asst. Atty. Gen., Natural Resources Section, Casey A. Shpall, First Asst. Atty. Gen., Laura E. Perrault, Asst. Atty. Gen., CERCLA Litigation Unit, with her, on the briefs), Denver, CO, for defendants-appellants.
John T. Stahr, Atty., Dept. of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Div. (Roger Clegg, Acting Asst. Atty. Gen., David C. Shilton, Bradley S. Bridgewater, Attys., Dept. of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Div., with him, on the brief), Washington, D.C., for plaintiff-appellee.
Lee Fisher, Atty. Gen., State of OH, and Jack A. Van Kley, Asst. Atty. Gen., Environmental Enforcement Section, State of OH, Columbus, OH, filed a brief on behalf of amici curiae. Charles E. Cole, Atty. Gen., State of AK, Juneau, AK, Winston Bryant, Atty. Gen., State of AR, Little Rock, AR, Daniel E. Lungren, Atty. Gen., State of CA, Theodora Berger, Roderick E. Walston, Walter E. Wunderlich, Sara J. Russell, and Richard Tom, Los Angeles, CA, Richard Blumenthal, Atty. Gen., State of CT, Hartford, CT, Linley E. Pearson, Atty. Gen., State of IN, Indianapolis, IN, Bonnie J. Campbell, Atty. Gen., State of IA, Des Moines, IA, Robert T. Stephan, Atty. Gen., State of KS, Topeka, KS, Randall G. McDowell, Manager, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, Com. of KY, Frankfort, KY, Frank J. Kelley, Atty. Gen., State of MI, Lansing, MI, Hubert H. Humphrey, III, Atty. Gen., State of MN, and Stephan Shakman, St. Paul, MN, William L. Webster, Atty. Gen., State of MO, and Shelley A. Woods, Jefferson City, MO, Don Stenberg, Atty. Gen., State of NE, Lincoln, NE, Frankie Sue Del Papa, Atty. Gen., State of NV, Carson City, NV, Tom Udall, Atty. Gen., State of NM, Santa Fe, NM, Robert Abrams, Atty. Gen., State of NY, and Nancy Stearns, New York State Dept. of Law, Environmental Protection Bureau, New York City, Lacy H. Thornburg, Atty. Gen., State of NC, Raleigh, NC, Charles S. Crookham, Atty. Gen., State of OR, Salem, OR, Ernest D. Preate, Jr., Atty. Gen., Com. of PA, and Donald A. Brown, Director, Office of Chief Counsel, Bureau of Hazardous Sites & Superfund Enforcement, Harrisburg, PA, Charles W. Burson, Atty. Gen., State of TN, Nashville, TN, Paul Van Dam, Atty. Gen., State of UT, and Jan Graham, Sol. Gen., Salt Lake City, UT, and Joseph B. Meyer, Atty. Gen., State of WY, Cheyenne, WY, appeared on behalf of amici curiae.
Before BALDOCK and HOLLOWAY, Circuit Judges, and EARL E. O'CONNOR, Senior District Judge.*
This case examines the relationship between the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 ("RCRA"), Pub.L. No. 94-580, 90 Stat. 2795, as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 ("HSWA"), Pub.L. No. 98-616, 98 Stat. 3221 (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901-6981 (West 1983 & Supp.1992)), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 ("CERCLA"), Pub.L. No. 96-510, 94 Stat. 2767, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 ("SARA"), Pub.L. No. 99-499, 100 Stat. 1613 (codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601-9675 (West 1983 & Supp.1992) and 26 U.S.C. § 9507 (West Supp.1992)). At issue is whether a state which has been authorized by the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") to "carry out" the state's hazardous waste program "in lieu of" RCRA, see 42 U.S.C. § 6926(b) (West Supp.1992), is precluded from doing so at a hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility owned and operated by the federal government which the EPA has placed on the national priority list, see id. § 9605(a)(8)(B), and where a CERCLA response action is underway. See 42 U.S.C. § 9604 (West 1983 & Supp.1992).
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal ("Arsenal") is a hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility subject to RCRA regulation, see 42 U.S.C. § 6924(a) (West Supp.1992), which is located near Commerce City, Colorado in the Denver metropolitan area. The United States government has owned the Arsenal since 1942, and the Army operated it from that time until the mid-1980's. Without reiterating its environmental history, suffice it to say that the Arsenal is "one of the worst hazardous waste pollution sites in the country." Daigle v. Shell Oil Co., 972 F.2d 1527, 1531 (10th Cir.1992) (footnote omitted). The present litigation focuses on Basin F which is a 92.7 acre basin located within the Arsenal where millions of gallons of liquid hazardous waste have been disposed of over the years.
Congress enacted RCRA in 1976 "to assist the cities, counties and states in the solution of the discarded materials problem and to provide nationwide protection against the dangers of improper hazardous waste disposal." H.R.Rep. No. 1491, 94th Cong., 2d Sess. 11 (1976), reprinted in 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 6238, 6249. RCRA requires the EPA to establish performance standards, applicable to owners and operators of hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities "as may be necessary to protect human health and the environment."1 42 U.S.C. § 6924(a) (West Supp.1992). The EPA enforces RCRA standards by requiring owners and operators of facilities to obtain permits,2 see 42 U.S.C. § 6925 (West 1983 & Supp.1992), and by issuing administrative compliance orders and seeking civil and criminal penalties for violations. Id. § 6928. The EPA may authorize states to "carry out" their own hazardous waste programs "in lieu of" RCRA and to "issue and enforce permits for the storage, treatment, or disposal of hazardous waste" so long as the state program meets the minimum federal standards.3 42 U.S.C. § 6926(b) (West Supp.1992). See also H.R.Rep. No. 1491(I) at 32, reprinted in 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 6270 (under RCRA, states retain "primary authority" to implement hazardous waste programs). However, RCRA does not preclude a state from adopting more stringent requirements for the treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. 42 U.S.C. § 6929 (West Supp.1992). See also Old Bridge Chems., Inc. v. New Jersey Dep't of Envtl. Protection, 965 F.2d 1287, 1296 (3d Cir.) ("RCRA sets a floor not a ceiling for state regulation of hazardous wastes"), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 602, 121 L.Ed.2d 538 (1992). Once the EPA authorizes a state to carry out the state hazardous waste program in lieu of RCRA, "[a]ny action taken by [the] State [has] the same force and effect as action taken by the [EPA]...." 42 U.S.C. § 6926(d) (West 1983). The federal government must comply with RCRA or an EPA-authorized state program "to the same extent as any person...."4 42 U.S.C. § 6961 (West 1983). In short, RCRA provides "a prospective cradle-to-grave regulatory regime governing the movement of hazardous waste in our society."5 H.R.Rep. No. 1016(I), 96th Cong., 2d Sess. 17 (1980), reprinted in 1980 U.S.C.C.A.N. 6119, 6120. See also Old Bridge, 965 F.2d at 1292 (RCRA is "principal federal statute regulating the generation, transportation, and disposal of hazardous wastes").
Because RCRA only applied prospectively, it was "clearly inadequate" to deal with " 'the inactive hazardous waste site problem.' " H.R.Rep. No. 1016(I), at 17-18, reprinted in 1980 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 6120. Consequently, Congress enacted CERCLA in 1980 "to initiate and establish a comprehensive response and financing mechanism to abate and control the vast problems associated with abandoned and inactive hazardous waste disposal sites." Id. at 22, reprinted in 1980 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 6125. Among its provisions, CERCLA required the President to revise the "national contingency plan for the removal of ... hazardous substances" which would "establish procedures and standards for responding to releases of hazardous substances...." 42 U.S.C. § 9605(a) (West Supp.1992). See also 40 C.F.R. pt. 300 (1992). When "any hazardous substance is released or there is a substantial threat of such a release into the environment," CERCLA authorizes the President to
act, consistent with the national contingency plan, to remove or arrange for the removal of, and provide for remedial action relating to such hazardous substance ... at any time ... or take any other response measure consistent with the national contingency plan which the President deems necessary to protect the public health or welfare or the environment.
42 U.S.C. § 9604(a)(1) (West Supp.1992). CERCLA finances these government response actions through the Hazardous Substance Superfund, see id. § 9611(a)(1); 26 U.S.C. § 9507 (West Supp.1992), and permits the government to seek reimbursement from responsible parties by holding them strictly liable. Id. § 9607(a). See also H.R.Rep. No. 1016, at 17, 1980 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 6120 (CERCLA establishes "a Federal cause of action in strict liability to enable [the EPA] to pursue rapid recovery of the costs ... of [response] actions"). See, e.g., United States v. Hardage, 982 F.2d 1436, 1443 (10th Cir.1992). CERCLA also requires the President to develop a national priority list, as part of the national contingency plan, which identifies "priorities among releases or threatened releases throughout the United States" for government response actions, id. § 9605(a)(8). See 40 C.F.R. pt. 300 app. B (1992), and the listing of a particular site on the national priority list is a prerequisite to a Superfund-financed remedial action at the site. 40 C.F.R. § 300.425(b)(1) (1992). We note that Superfund monies cannot be used for remedial actions at federal facilities, 42 U.S.C. § 9611(e)(3) (West Supp.1992), but CERCLA otherwise applies to the federal government "to the same extent, both procedurally and substantively, as any nongovernmental entity." Id. § 9620(a)(1). In short, CERCLA is a remedial statute "designed to facilitate cleanup of environmental contamination caused by releases of hazardous substances."6 Colorado v. Idarado Mining Co., 916 F.2d 1486, 1488, 1492 (10th Cir.1990), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 111 S.Ct. 1584, 113 L.Ed.2d 648 (1991). See also Daigle, 972 F.2d at 1533.
In November 1980, the Army, as the operator of the Arsenal, submitted to the EPA part A of its RCRA permit application7 which listed Basin F as a hazardous waste surface impoundment.8 Appellants' App. at 413. By submitting the part A RCRA application, the Army achieved RCRA interim status. See supra note 2. In May 1983, the Army submitted part B of its RCRA permit application to the EPA which included a required closure plan for Basin F, Appellants' App. at 505, and the following month, the Army submitted a revised closure plan for Basin F. Appellants' App. at 471. See also supra notes 1 and 7. In May 1984, the EPA issued a notice of deficiency to the Army regarding part B of its RCRA permit application and requested a revised part B application within sixty days under threat of termination of the Army's interim status. Appellants' Br. Attach. 12. The Army never submitted a revised part B RCRA permit application to the EPA; rather, in October 1984, the Army commenced a CERCLA remedial investigation/feasibility study ("RI/FS").9 Appellee's App. at 9, 30.
Effective November 2, 1984, the EPA, acting pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 6926(b) (West Supp.1992), authorized Colorado to "carry out" the Colorado Hazardous Waste Management Act ("CHWMA"), Colo.Rev.Stat. §§ 25-15-301 to 25-15-316 (1989 & Supp.1992), "in lieu of" RCRA. See 49 Fed.Reg. 41,036 (1984). That same month, the Army submitted its part B RCRA/CHWMA permit application to the Colorado Department of Health ("CDH") which is charged with the administration and enforcement of CHWMA. Appellants' App. at 473. Notably, the part B application was the same deficient application that the Army submitted to the EPA in June 1983. Id. Not surprisingly, CDH found the application, specifically the closure plan for Basin F, to be unsatisfactory. Id.
Consequently, in May 1986, CDH issued its own draft partial closure plan for Basin F to the Army, id. at 481, and in October 1986, CDH issued a final RCRA/CHWMA modified closure plan for Basin F and requested the Army's cooperation in immediately implementing the plan. Id. at 393. The Army responded by questioning CDH's jurisdiction over the Basin F cleanup. Id. at 395-96.
In response to the Army's indication that it would not implement CDH's closure plan for Basin F, Colorado filed suit in state court in November 1986. Colorado sought injunctive relief to halt the Army's alleged present and future violations of CHWMA and to enforce CDH's closure plan for Basin F. The Army removed the action to federal district court, and moved to dismiss Colorado's CHWMA enforcement action claiming that "CERCLA's enforcement and response provisions pre-empt and preclude a state RCRA enforcement action with respect to the cleanup of hazardous wastes at the Arsenal." Colorado v. United States Dept. of the Army, 707 F.Supp. 1562, 1565 (D.Colo.1989).
In June 1986, the Army announced that it was taking a CERCLA interim response action with respect to Basin F. Appellee's App. at 20. In September 1986, the Army agreed with Shell Chemical Company10 on an interim response action in which Shell would construct storage tanks with a total capacity of four million gallons to hold Basin F liquids. Id. In June 1987, the Army, the EPA, Shell and Colorado agreed on a Basin F interim response action which required the Army to remove contaminated liquids to the temporary storage tanks and contaminated sludges and soils to a temporary holding area until determination of a final Arsenal-wide remedy. Id. at 47-50. In August 1987, the Army requested that Colorado identify potential applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements ("ARAR's"), see 42 U.S.C. § 9621(d) (West Supp.1992); infra note 20, for the Basin F interim response action, and, in October 1987, the Army requested comment on its plan, see 42 U.S.C. § 9621(f)(1)(E) (West Supp.1992); however, Colorado did not respond to either of these requests. Appellee's App. at 21-22.
In October 1987, the Army advised Colorado that it was withdrawing its still pending part B RCRA/CHWMA permit application claiming that it was ceasing operations of all structures addressed in the application and that it intended to remediate Basin F pursuant to CERCLA. Appellants' App. at 398-400. The Army indicated that it would, however, comply with RCRA and CHWMA in accordance with CERCLA's provisions at 42 U.S.C. § 9620(i) and § 9621(d)(2)(A)(i). Id. at 399.
In December 1987, the Army transmitted a draft decision document for the Basin F interim response action to the EPA, Shell and Colorado and initiated a thirty day public comment period, see 42 U.S.C. § 9617 (West Supp.1992). Appellee's App. at 22. In January 1988, the Army issued its decision document for the Basin F interim response action. Appellants' App. at 5. Thereafter, the Army began the Basin F interim response action, and, in December 1988, completed the removal of eight million gallons of hazardous liquid wastes from Basin F, relocating four million gallons to three lined storage tanks and four million gallons to a double-lined holding pond. Appellee's App. at 12. In addition, the Army removed 500,000 cubic yards of contaminated solid material from Basin F, dried it, and placed it in a sixteen acre, double lined, capped wastepile. Id. The Army also capped the Basin F floor.11 Id.
In February 1989, the federal district court denied the Army's motion to dismiss Colorado's CHWMA enforcement action. The district court relied on several provisions of both RCRA and CERCLA, including CERCLA's provision for the application of state laws concerning removal and remedial action at federal facilities not listed on the national priority list.12 Colorado v. United States Dep't of the Army, 707 F.Supp. at 1569-70 (citing 42 U.S.C. § 9620(a)(4)). The district court found this provision to be particularly noteworthy in light of the fact that Basin F was not listed on the national priority list. Id. Furthermore, the district court expressed particular concern about the relationship between the Army and the EPA, noting that the EPA's "potential monitoring of the Army's Basin F cleanup operation under CERCLA does not serve as an appropriate or effective check on the Army's efforts,"13 and that Colorado's involvement "would guarantee the salutary effect of a truly adversary proceeding that would be more likely, in the long run, to achieve a thorough cleanup." Id. at 1570. Thus, the district court held that Colorado was not precluded from enforcing CHWMA, pursuant to its EPA-delegated RCRA authority, despite the Army's cleanup efforts under CERCLA. Id.
In March 1989, the month following the district court's order, the EPA added Basin F to the national priority list.14 54 Fed.Reg. 10,512 (1989). The Army immediately moved for reconsideration of the district court's order in light of the EPA's listing of Basin F on the national priority list.
In September 1989, CDH, acting in accordance with the district court's February 1989 order, issued a final amended compliance order to the Army, pursuant to CDH's authority under CHWMA. The final amended compliance order requires the Army to submit an amended Basin F closure plan, as well as plans and schedules addressing soil contamination, monitoring and mitigation, groundwater contamination, and other identified tasks for each unit containing Basin F hazardous waste as required under CHWMA. Appellants' App. at 96-103. The final amended compliance order also requires that CDH shall approve all plans and that the Army shall not implement any closure plan or work plan prior to approval in accordance with CHWMA. Id. at 98.
As a result of the final amended compliance order, the United States filed the present declaratory action, invoking the district court's jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 2201. The United States' complaint sought an order from the federal district court declaring that the final a