Opinion ID: 4563582
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The USEPA’s and the NJDEP’s Action against

Text: 24 PRPs In 1998, the United States sued 24 PRPs—including Combe Fill’s contractor, Compaction—in the District Court for the District of New Jersey to recoup costs it incurred remediating the Site. The NJDEP filed a similar lawsuit against many of the same defendants, and the two cases were consolidated before the District Court. The United States and the NJDEP entered into a global consent decree with the majority of the parties (including Compaction) in 2009 for $62.6 million, with the United States receiving 81.5% of the funds and the NJDEP receiving the remainder (the “Consent Decree”). Compaction contributed $11 million, including over $6.8 million plus interest to the USEPA, over $1.5 million plus interest to the NJDEP, and over $433,000 for natural resources damages payable to the NJDEP as one of the natural resources trustees. In addition, Compaction agreed to pay $900,000 per year in ongoing operation and maintenance expenses at the Site for a 30-year period. Finally, it consented to a judgment of $26 million (the “Consent Judgment”), but is not obligated to pay any amount of the Consent Judgment unless its recoveries from CERCLA contribution actions against other PRPs exceeded at least $11 million plus certain attorneys’ fees. Carter Day was not a party to either the Consent Decree or the Consent Judgment. 11