Environmental Law: RCRA, CERCLA, and The management of Hazardous Waste

by Applegate, John S.; Laitos, Jan G.

• ISBN13: 9781587787188
• ISBN10: 1587787180
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-12-05
• Publisher: West Academic

Summary

Like other publications in this area, this book surveys, organizes, and explains the most important provisions of RCRA and CERCLA while providing relevant background. This publication goes beyond other publications by emphasizing the scientific, policy, and legal issues that make hazardous waste management a difficult and complex problem for Congress, EPA, and practicing lawyers. As with other areas of environmental law, the role of law is to pursue a number of distinct policies in the context of a technically challenging problem. This book explains the nature of the underlying problem that the law seeks to address, and the specific choices that the law makes in addressing it.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
About the Authors	xi
The Hazardous Waste Problem	1	(10)
A Cautionary Tale	1	(3)
The Hazardous Waste Problem	4	(3)
Risk and Waste Management	7	(4)
Disposal: The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act	11	(117)
Introduction to RCRA	12	(12)
History	13	(3)
Statutory Objectives	16	(5)
Regulatory Criteria	21	(3)
RCRA's Waste Management Programs	24	(13)
Subtitle C: Hazardous Waste	24	(4)
Subtitle D: Solid Waste	28	(6)
Subtitle I: Underground Storage Tanks	34	(3)
The Identification of Hazardous Waste	37	(37)
Identification of Solid Waste	37	(1)
The Statutory Definition and the Problem of Recycling	38	(2)
EPA Regulations	40	(5)
The Case Law	45	(2)
Recycling Definition Reform	47	(4)
Hazardous Waste	51	(1)
Tests for Hazardous Characteristics	52	(1)
The Concept of Listing	53	(2)
The Mixture, Derived From, and Contained In Rules	55	(6)
Exclusions	61	(1)
Exit	62	(1)
C-/D+ Reform	63	(11)
Disposal Restrictions	74	(14)
The Land Ban	75	(1)
Applicability	76	(1)
Treatment Standards	77	(2)
BDAT: Technology-Based Treatment Standards	79	(3)
Universal Treatment Standards	82	(1)
Variances	83	(2)
The Dilution and Storage Prohibitions	85	(1)
HWIR and LDRs	86	(1)
Design Standards	87	(1)
The Permitting System	88	(25)
The Manifest System and Exportation of Hazardous Waste	89	(3)
Generator Permits	92	(3)
TSDF Permits	95	(3)
Corrective Action	98	(8)
Environmental Justice	106	(7)
Enforcement and State Hazardous Waste Programs	113	(15)
Actions Available to the Government	113	(5)
Actions Available to Private Citizens	118	(2)
State Hazardous Waste Programs	120	(8)
Clean-Up: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act	128	(159)
Introduction and Overview	128	(8)
What is Cercla?	128	(5)
What is the Superfund?	133	(3)
Cercla in Context	136	(13)
Love Canal and the Statute's History	137	(5)
Cercla and RCRA: A Comparison	142	(3)
Cercla and State Law	145	(4)
The Clean-Up Cornerstones	149	(28)
National Contingency Plan	150	(1)
Evolution of the NCP	151	(3)
NCP Procedures	154	(4)
NCP Substantive Standards	158	(1)
National Priorities List	158	(1)
The Listing Procedure	159	(1)
Consequences of an NPL Listing	160	(1)
Delisting and Deletions	161	(1)
``Removal'' Actions	162	(3)
``Remedial'' Actions	165	(3)
Protectiveness	168	(1)
ARARs	169	(2)
Permanence	171	(1)
Cost	172	(1)
Judicial Review	173	(4)
Liability	177	(56)
The Standard of Liability	178	(1)
Strict Liability	178	(2)
Joint and Several Liability	180	(2)
Retroactive Liability	182	(1)
Potentially Responsible Parties	183	(1)
Current Owner and Operators	184	(1)
Owners	185	(3)
Operators	188	(2)
Past Owners/Operators ``at the Time of Disposal''	190	(4)
Persons Who ``Arranged for Disposal or Treatment''	194	(4)
Transporters Who ``Selected'' a Disposal or Treatment Site	198	(1)
Corporations	199	(1)
Officers, Directors, and Employees	199	(3)
Parent-Subsidiary	202	(1)
Successor Corporations	203	(3)
Dissolved Corporations	206	(1)
Lenders	207	(2)
Fiduciaries, Estates, and Beneficiaries	209	(1)
Federal, State and Local Governments	210	(2)
Triggers of Liability	212	(1)
``Release'' or Threatened Release	212	(2)
``Hazardous Substance''	214	(4)
``Facility'' or ``Vessel''	218	(1)
``Cause'' the ``Incurrence of Response Costs''	219	(3)
Recoverable Costs	222	(1)
``All Costs''	222	(2)
``Not Inconsistent with the National Contingency Plan''	224	(2)
Natural Resources Damage	226	(1)
``Natural Resources''	227	(1)
``Injuries Caused by a Release''	227	(2)
Who May Bring Suit	229	(1)
Damages	230	(2)
Cercla Liens	232	(1)
Defenses and Exclusions	233	(16)
Section 107(b) Defenses	233	(1)
Act of God	234	(1)
Act of War	234	(1)
Third Party Defenses	235	(1)
Release Caused Solely by Third Party	236	(1)
Contractual Relationship	236	(2)
Exercise of Due Care	238	(1)
Precautions against Foreseeable Acts or Omissions	238	(1)
Innocent Landowner Defense	239	(4)
Other Defenses	243	(1)
Statute of Limitations	243	(2)
Equitable Defenses	245	(1)
Indemnity and Holds Harmless Agreements	246	(1)
Constitutional Defenses	247	(1)
Exclusions from CERCLA coverage	248	(1)
Cost-Recovery Actions and Apportionment of Liability	249	(32)
Government Cost-Recovery and Enforcement Actions	249	(2)
Judicial Relief	251	(4)
Administrative Orders	255	(3)
Settlements and Consent Decrees	258	(3)
Major Party Settlements and Consent Decrees	261	(3)
De Minimis Settlements	264	(2)
De Micromis Settlements	266	(1)
Brownfields	266	(3)
Private Cost-Recovery Actions	269	(1)
``Any Other Person''	270	(1)
Causation	271	(1)
``Necessary Costs of Response''	271	(1)
``Consistent with the National Contingency Plan''	272	(2)
Cost-Recovery v. Contribution Actions	274	(3)
Apportionment of Liability	277	(4)
Future of Cercla	281	(6)
Table of Cases	287	(8)
Index	295