U.S. EPA, DOJ settle for $12.5 million for cleanup costs at San Gabriel Valley Superfund Site

SAN FRANCISCO - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice recently settled for a total of $12.5 million with 39 parties for the clean up of the South El Monte area of the San Gabriel Valley Superfund Site located outside Los Angeles.

The settlement filed last week in Los Angeles federal court includes:
· a consent decree with 13 parties for their share of groundwater cleanup costs, based on their past and present payments for the site, totaling about $9.2 million;

· a consent decree with 26 parties who have adequately demonstrated limited financial means to pay for the groundwater cleanup costs, and who collectively pay about $3.3 million.

“Today’s settlements will bring in funding to cleanup this site,” said Keith Takata, the EPA’s Superfund Division director for the Pacific Southwest region. “The EPA will continue to oversee cleanup work and pursue other potentially liable parties to recover cleanup costs.”

The San Gabriel Valley Superfund Site was listed on the National Priorities List in 1984 after industrial solvents and other materials in the South El Monte area contaminated soil and groundwater with volatile organic compounds, perchlorate and other chemicals.

Three local water companies are currently operating cleanup systems. The EPA will use funds from today’s settlements to reimburse the water companies through a cooperative agreement with the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority.

The first consent decree includes the following parties:

1) Andruss Family Trust and related entities
2) APW North America, Inc., aka Electronic Solutions
3) Artistic Polishing & Plating and related entities
4) Cardinal Industrial Finishes
5) Durham Transportation, Inc. and related entities
6) Eemus Mfg. Corp.
7) International Medication Systems, Ltd.
8) Norf James Jebbia Testamentary Trust and related entities
9) J.A.B. Holdings, Inc.
10) Roc-Aire Corp.
11) Janneberg Marital Trust as Successor to Servex Corp., and related entities
12) Smittybilt, Inc.
13) Southern California Edison Co.

The second consent decree includes the following parties:

1) Deanna Abercrombie
2) Aircraft Stamping Co., Inc.
3) Wendlyn and John Albin
4) Artistic Polishing & Plating
5) Astronautic Enamelers
6) Clamp Mfg. Co., Inc.
7) Roy A. Clayton Trust
8) Judith D’Epifanio and related entity
9) Dyanco, Inc.
10) Eagle Metal Finishing Co., Inc.
11) Edwin A. Franzen and related entity
12) Jeanette Hagen
13) J.A.B. Holdings, Inc.
14) Claudean Mullins Kawie and related entity
15) Kessler Family Trust
16) L&L Screw Products, Inc.
17) Robert E. Malone
18) Marge Carson, Inc.
19) Martha Obbink
20) Everett Phillips
21) Ram Steel Co., Inc.
22) Mary A. Rockenbach
23) Geraldine Rumore
24) Frank J. Alfieri and related parties
25) Geraldine M. Alfieri and related parties
26) Thomas R. Williamson, Jr. and related parties