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In a proposed settlement, the state of California will pay a $14.95 million price tag for cleanup costs at the Casmalia Resources Superfund site. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Justice Department announced the settlement Dec. 28, 2001.

Paying the bill would resolve the state of its liability at the Casmalia site located near Santa Maria in Central California. “This settlement is a fair resolution of the state's liability at the site for the cleanup costs," said acting Assistant Attorney General John Cruden. "It allows the EPA and the state to avoid liability disputes and to coordinate as regulatory agencies to ensure efficient clean up of the site."

The Casmalia Resources site occupies 250 acres of rural Casmalian Hills in Santa Barbara County. The Casmalia Resources Hazardous Waste Management Facility conducted operations on the site from 1973 to 1989. During that time, the facility accepted approximately 4.5 billion pounds of industrial and commercial hazardous waste.

After the business stopped accepting waste in 1989, the EPA reported that the owners “effectively abandoned efforts to properly close and clean up the site.” This action, and the historic operation of the site, led to contamination of the habitat of the California red-legged frog, a federally designated threatened species.

The proposed settlement would also allow the state to waive claims against most parties for reimbursement of more than $1 million in cleanup costs of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Plus the state would waive all cleanup claims against the United States.

The public will have two months to comment on the proposed settlement. The offer is an attempt by the EPA to secure all of the necessary funds to finish cleaning up the entire site. “Our agreement with the state provides much-needed funding to continue cleanup activities at one of the state’s most complex hazardous waste sites,” said EPA Superfund spokeswoman Jane Diamond.