Opinion ID: 1303724
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: National Contingency Plan

Text: The district court determined that there was a genuine issue of material fact as to whether NiMo's cleanup efforts were consistent with the National Contingency Plan. We have never squarely addressed whether compliance with a state consent decree is sufficient to prove adherence to the National Contingency Plan. Under § 107, a PRP is liable for cleanup costs consistent with the National Contingency Plan. 42 U.S.C. § 9607(a)(4)(A)-(B). The National Contingency Plan is essentially the federal government's toxic waste playbook, detailing the steps the government must take to identify, evaluate, and respond to hazardous substances in the environment. See 40 C.F.R. part 300; see also Travis Wagner, The Complete Guide to the Hazardous Waste Regulations: RCRA, TSCA, HMTA, EPCRA, and Superfund, 3d, 326-27 (1999). Adherence to the plan is the gatekeeper to seeking reimbursement of response costs. Ultimately, the goal is consistency and cohesiveness to response planning and actions. H. Rep. 96-1016, at 30 (1980), U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News 1980, pp. 6119, 6133. Courts presume that actions undertaken by the federal, or a state, government are consistent with the National Contingency Plan. See, e.g., City of Bangor v. Citizens Commc'ns Co., 532 F.3d 70, 91 (1st Cir.2008). However, private parties that have responded to hazardous substances must establish compliance. Id. One way of establishing compliance with the national plan is to conduct a response under the monitoring, and with the ultimate approval, of the state's environmental agency. Id. ; see also NutraSweet Co. v. X-L Eng'g Co., 227 F.3d 776, 791 (7th Cir.2000). This is consistent with the state's power to settle CERCLA liability without the express approval of the EPA. It would be bizarre indeed if a PRP's settlement with a state entitled it to seek contribution under § 113(f)(B)(3), but its actions taken in executing that settlement disqualified the settlor from employing the statute to recoup a portion of its expenses. NiMo's adherence to the DEC Consent Decree established its compliance with the National Contingency Plan. The district court's conclusion in this regard was error.