United States Eighth Circuit

In a case to recover costs for the clean-up of hazardous substances, contribution protection provided to settleing defendants is reasonable and consistient with the underlying policies and goals of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. Sections 9601-9675, because it prevents duplicate liability and encourages cooperation with the government.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/24/2002
• Published 01/24/2002

Judges

• MCMILLIAN, Circuit Judge., Before McMILLIAN and RICHARD S. ARNOLD, Circuit Judges, and ROSENBAUM, District Judge.

Court

• United States Eighth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Jon R. Muth, Grand Rapids, MI, argued (S. Grace Davis, on the brief), for appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Mark R. Haag, U.S. Dept. of Justice, Environmental & Natural Resources Div., Washington, DC, argued (John T. Stahr, U.S. Dept. of Justice, John C. Cruden, Acting Asst. Atty. Gen., Washington, DC, of counsel on the brief was Daniel Shiel, U.S. E.P.A., Kansas City, KS), for plaintiff-appellee U.S., Nancy M. Saunders, Los Angeles, CA, argued (Tiffany R. Hedgpeth, Los Angeles, CA, Edward Remsburg, Des Moines, IA and Daniel Vineyard, Houston, TX, on the brief), for defendants-appellees Shell Oil Co., Monsanto Co., Bayer Corp. and Chevron Chemical Co.