United States Ninth Circuit

Under 42 USC 9607(a)(2) of CERCLA, gradual passive migration of pollutants through soil does not qualify as a "disposal" in determining whether a landowner is a "potentially responsible party."

Appellate Information

• Argued Array
• Decided 10/24/2001
• Published 10/24/2001

Judges

• Before:  SCHROEDER, Chief Judge, and HUG, B. FLETCHER, PREGERSON, KOZINSKI, T.G. NELSON, HAWKINS, McKEOWN, PAEZ, BERZON, and TALLMAN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Frank Gooch III (argued), Gilchrist & Rutter, Santa Monica, California, and Christopher M. Amantea (argued), McDermott, Will & Emery, Los Angeles, California, for plaintiff-appellant Carson Harbor Village, Ltd., Robert H. Oakley (argued), United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for amicus curiae The United States of America.


• For Appellees:
  
• Lisa Bond (argued), Richards, Watson & Gershon, Los Angeles, California, for defendant-appellee City of Carson., Thomas C. Sites, Gallagher & Gallagher, Los Angeles, California, for defendant-appellee City of Compton., Charles A. Jordan, Holley & Galen, Los Angeles, California, and Richard C. Jacobs, Howard, Rice, Nemerovski, Canady, Falk & Rabkin, San Francisco, California, for defendant-appellee Unocal Corporation., Walter J. Lipsman (argued), Douglas J. Collodel, and Richard H. Nakamura, Jr., Morris, Polich & Purdy, LLP, Los Angeles, California, for defendants-appellees Carson Harbor Village Mobile Home Park, Richard G. Braley, and Walker Smith, Jr., Gary E. Yardumian, Kristin E.D. Dunn, and Jack C. Nick, Prindle, Decker & Amaro, Long Beach, California, for defendant-appellee County of Los Angeles.