Carolyn L. McIntosh

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Superfund Financial Assurance Rules: Chemical, Coal, Petroleum & Electric Power Industries Face Upcoming US EPA Rulemaking

On December 1, 2016, the US EPA Administrator signed two documents about financial assurance – effectively bonding for facility cleanup – under Superfund for several industry sectors. The longer document with the shorter deadline concerned the hard rock mining and mineral processing industries, proposing specific costly rules, on which comments are due around March 13.  … Continue Reading

US EPA Proposes Rules Governing Financial Responsibility for Hard Rock Mines & Processing Facilities

On December 1, 2016, US EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy complied with a court order and signed a proposed Superfund rule to require facilities in the hard rock mining industry to provide financial assurance for cleanup and related environmental costs, as required by Section 108(b) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). 42 … Continue Reading

US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit Preserves CERCLA Contribution Protection Despite Tolling Agreement

In Asarco v. Union Pac. R.R. Co., 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 15285 (8th Cir. 2014), the Eighth Circuit affirmed the lower court  in Asarco LLC v. Union Pac. R.R. Co., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 108852 (D. Neb. Aug. 2, 2013), dismissing the contribution, breach of contract, and declaratory judgment claims brought by Asarco against Union Pacific … Continue Reading

US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Decides A CERCLA “Judicially Approved Settlement” Is Not Different In Bankruptcy

On July 23, in ASARCO LLC v. Union Pacific Railroad Company, et al. No. 13-1435 (10th Cir.), the Tenth Circuit rejected the notion that settlement requirements are different in the bankruptcy context.  Section 113 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. §9613, provides a statutory right of contribution for any party … Continue Reading
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