United States Fourth Circuit

CERCLA, at 42 USC 9607(a)(2), imposes liability for cleanup costs on anyone who owned land at a time when hazardous waste was either placed there or leaked into the environment from a source on the site, whether or not such owner was the cause of the disposal or even had knowledge of it.

Appellate Information

• Argued 03/02/2001
• Decided 07/24/2001
• Published 07/24/2001

Judges

• Before NIEMEYER, MICHAEL, and KING, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Holly Drumheller Butler, Steven Keith Fedder, Piper, Marbury, Rudnick & Wolfe, L.L.P., Baltimore, MD, for Appellant.  Thomas M. Downs, Swidler, Berlin, Shereff, Friedman, L.L.P., Washington, DC;  Thomas Mark Lingan, Venable, Baetjer & Howard, L.L.P., Baltimore, MD, for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  John Chen, Kathleen L. Nooney, Piper, Marbury, Rudnick & Wolfe, Chicago, IL, for Appellant.  Laura A. Ford, Swidler, Berlin, Shereff, Friedman, L.L.P., Washington, DC;  Geoffrey R. Garinther, Venable, Baetjer & Howard, L.L.P., Baltimore, MD, for Appellees.