Opinion ID: 154183
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Section(s) 9613(h) Jurisdictional Bar

Text: 17 Denver also makes two arguments to defeat the EPA's chosen remedy. First, Denver argues that the remedy chosen by the EPA does not comply with the requirements of CERCLA Section(s) 9621. Second, Denver contends that where two remedies are available to the EPA, it should choose the remedy that complies with both CERCLA and local law. We conclude that addressing these arguments would require us to examine EPA's remedial action, which we are without jurisdiction to review pursuant to CERCLA Section(s) 9613(h). 18 Section 9613(h) provides that no federal court shall have jurisdiction to review any challenges to removal or remedial action selected by the EPA under Section(s) 9604 or 9606(a). There are five exceptions to this jurisdictional bar, none of which Denver claims is applicable. In enacting this jurisdictional bar, Congress intended to prevent time-consuming litigation which might interfere with CERCLA's overall goal of effecting the prompt cleanup of hazardous waste sites. Boarhead Corp. v. Erickson, 923 F.2d 1011, 1019 (3d Cir. 1991). 19 In past cases addressing Section(s) 9613(h), the challenging party initiated the action. Denver claims its challenge is distinguishable because it is actually a defense to EPA's declaratory judgment action. Denver cites the case of United States v. Colorado, 990 F.2d 1565 (10th Cir. 1993), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 1092 (1994), in support of its argument. In that case, the United States brought a declaratory judgment action seeking an injunction to prevent the State of Colorado from asserting regulatory authority over the cleanup of a hazardous waste site. Colorado counter claimed, requesting an injunction to enforce its compliance order against the United States. The court held that Colorado's counter-claim did not constitute a challenge to the remedy chosen by the EPA, and therefore was not barred by Section(s) 9613(h), because Colorado's requirements were not inconsistent with the chosen remedy. 20 Aside from the procedural similarities, the Colorado case is clearly distinguishable. First, Colorado's compliance order [did] not seek to halt the Army's . . . response action, but merely [sought] to ensure that the cleanup [was] in accordance with state laws which the EPA has authorized Colorado to enforce under [the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Pub. L. No. 94-580, 90 Stat. 2795 (codified at 42 U.S.C. Section(s) 6901 et seq.)]. Colorado, 990 F.2d at 1576. In other words, Colorado's compliance order imposed additional requirements, unlike Denver's zoning ordinance, which imposes contrary or inconsistent requirements. Denver contends that its zoning ordinance also imposes only additional requirements, but it misses the point that in the Colorado case, the state imposed additional requirements not inconsistent with the particular remedy chosen, while Denver's zoning ordinance imposes additional requirements on the EPA's selection of a remedy which are inconsistent with that remedy. No matter how Denver characterizes its zoning ordinance, it still constitutes a challenge to EPA's chosen remedy, and we are barred from reviewing that challenge under Section(s) 9613(h). 21 Second, in the Colorado case, the state's compliance order was pursuant to RCRA, which authorizes the EPA to allow states to carry out their own hazardous waste programs in lieu of the federal RCRA program. Colorado, 990 F.2d at 1569. The court held that Section(s) 9613(h) did not bar enforcement actions authorized under RCRA, in part because [w]hen Congress has enacted two statutes which appear to conflict, we must attempt to construe their provisions harmoniously. 990 F.2d at 1575. Moreover, the court concluded that the plain language of both CERCLA and RCRA provides for state enforcement of its RCRA responsibilities despite an ongoing CERCLA response action. Id. at 1579. By contrast, in this case Denver's zoning ordinance is not pursuant to any federal mandate, and thus does not raise similar concerns about consistency between congressional enactments. 22 AFFIRMED.