Amending CERCLA: The Post-Sara Amendments to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Book

Preface   John C. Cruden     ix
Preface   Elliott P. Laws     xi
About the Authors     xiii
Introduction     1
An Overview of the Three Post-SARA Amendments     4
The Asset Conservation, Lender Liability, and Deposit Insurance Protection Act of 1996     4
The Law of Lender Liability before the Asset Conservation Act     4
The Promulgation and Invalidation of the Lender Liability Rule     6
The Law on Fiduciary Liability Prior to the Asset Conservation Act     11
The Legislative History of the Asset Conservation Act     12
What the Asset Conservation Act Provides     14
Cases Interpreting the Asset Conservation Act     17
EPA Guidance Documents Relating to the Asset Conservation Act     20
The Superfund Recycling Equity Act of 1999     20
The Law before SREA     21
The Legislative History of SREA     22
What SREA Provides     24
Cases Interpreting SREA     27
EPA Guidance Documents Relating to SREA     32
The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act     33
Overview of the Act     33
The Municipal Solid Waste Exemption     35
TheDe Micromis Exemption and De Minimis Settlement Provisions     39
The Brownfields Grants Program     43
Changes to the Innocent Landowner Defense, the New Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser Defense and the New Adjoining Landowner Defense     44
The State Deferral Provisions     58
Cases Interpreting the Brownfields Act     59
Text of CERCLA Showing Amended Provisions     61
Hazardous Substances Releases, Liability, Compensation     61
Hazardous Response Revenue     211
Miscellaneous Provisions     211
Pollution Insurance     232
EPA Rules and Guidance Documents     237
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan; Lender Liability under CERCLA, 57 Fed. Reg. 18344, Apr. 19, 1992     239
Guidance on Agreements with Prospective Purchasers of Contaminated Property (excerpts), May 24, 1995     282
Policy on Interpreting CERCLA Provisions Addressing Lenders and Involuntary Acquisitions by Government Entities, Jun. 30, 1997 (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/ policies/cleanup/superfund/lendr-aquis-mem.pdf)     292
Bona Fide Prospective Purchasers and the New Amendments to CERCLA, May 31, 2002 (http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/ pdf/bfpp0502.pdf)     296
Superfund Recycling Equity Act of 1999; Factors To Consider in a CERCLA Enforcement Case, Aug. 2002 (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/cleanup/superfund/srea-guide-1999.pdf)     301
Revised Settlement Policy and Contribution Waiver Language Regarding Exempt De Micromis and Non-Exempt De Micromis Parties (excerpts), Nov. 6, 2002 (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/cleanup/superfund/wv-exmpt-dmicro-mem.pdf)     331
Interim Guidance Regarding Criteria Landowners Must Meet in Order to Qualify for Bona Fide Prospective Purchasers, Contiguous Property Owner, or Innocent Landowner Limitations on CERCLA Liability ("Common Elements"), Mar. 6, 2003 (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/cleanup/superfund/common-elem-guide.pdf)     340
Common Elements Guidance Reference Sheet (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/cleanup/superfund/common-elem-ref.pdf)     362
Regional Determinations Regarding Which Sites Are Not "Eligible Response Sites" under CERCLA Section 101(41)(C)(i), as Added By the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, Mar. 6, 2003 (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/cleanup/superfund/reg-determ-small-bus-mem.pdf)     368
Interim Enforcement Discretion Policy concerning "Windfall Liens" Under Section 107(r) of CERCLA (excerpts), Jul. 16, 2003 (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/cleanup/superfund/interim-windfall-lien.pdf)     379
Issuance of Revised Model CERCLA Section 122(g)(4) De Minimis Contributor Consent Decree and Administrative Order on Consent and New Model Ability to Pay Provisions for Use in De Minimis Settlements (excerpts), Aug. 12, 2003     396
Interim Guidance on the Municipal Solid Waste Exemption Under CERCLA [Characters not reproducible] 107(p) (excerpts), Aug. 20, 2003 (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/cleanup/superfund/interim-msw-exempt.pdf)     399
Interim Enforcement Discretion Guidance Regarding Contiguous Property Owners, Jan. 13, 2004 (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/cleanup/superfund/contig-prop.pdf)     410
Contiguous Property Owner Guidance Reference Sheet (http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/resources/policies/cleanup/superfund/contig-prop-faq.pdf)     421
Interim Guidance on the Ability to Pay and De Minimis Revisions to CERCLA [Characters not reproducible] 122(g) by the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (excerpts), May 17, 2004 (http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/cleanup/superfund/atp-demin-122g-04.pdf)     426
Standards and Practices for All Appropriate Inquiries and Notice of Public Meeting To Discuss Standards and Practices for All Appropriate Inquiries; Proposed Rules, 69 Fed. Reg. 52543, Aug. 26, 2004     436
Standards and Practices for All Appropriate Inquiries, Final Rule, 70 Fed. Reg. 66070, Nov. 1, 2005     477
Excerpts from the Legislative Histories     523
Asset Conservation, Lender Liability, and Deposit Insurance Protection Act of 1996, Public Law. 104-208, Sept. 30, 1996)     523
Congressional Record, Extension of Remarks, E31, January 5, 1996      531
Congressional Record, Senate, S2528, Feb. 10, 1995     532
Congressional Record, Senate, S9874, July 13, 1995     534
S. Rep. No. 104-185, Report of Comm. on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs to Accompany S650, The Economic Growth and Regulatory Act of 1995, Dec. 14, 1995     539
H.R. Rep. 104-863, Conference Report, Sept. 28, 1996     547
Congressional Record, Senate, S11896, Sept. 30, 1996     556
Congressional Record, Senate, S11919, Sept. 30, 1996     558
Congressional Record, Senate, S12292, Sept. 30, 1996     561
Superfund Recycling Equity Act, Public Law No. 106-113     563
H.R. Rep. 106, 479, Conference Rpeort to Acccompnay H.R. 3194, Nov. 18, 1999     569
Congressional Record, Senate, S7262, June 18, 1999     576
Congressional Record, Senate, S13086, October 25, 1999     578
Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitilization Act, Public Law. 107-118, January 11, 2002     589
S. Rep. No 107-2, Comm. On Environment and Public Works, Brownfields Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act of 2001, Mar. 12, 2001     616
Index to Legislative Histories     649
Full Legislative Histories and Index