The court holds that a landowner cannot recover from previous site owner petroleum contamination cleanup costs it incurred after it invoked Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) §7002's statutory process for bringing a citizen suit. The court first holds that a private party cannot recover ...

The court holds that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not have the authority to impose its own separate enforcement penalties on a Missouri corporation after the corporation and an authorized state agency negotiated a state court-approved settlement for Resource Conservation and R...

The court holds that a canning company may seek cleanup and abatement costs from the former owner of its canning operation site under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The court first holds that the canning company's post-filing cleanup costs are not clearly barred by RCRA. Although...

The court denies New Mexico's request for a preliminary injunction and construction of a 1992 injunction to prevent shipments of waste to the waste isolation pilot plant (WIPP) in that state. The court first holds that the state cannot prove a likelihood of success on the merits. A previous injuncti...

The court upholds a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that allows the Agency to issue variances from general Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) treatment standards if such standards would likely discourage aggressive remediation of previously disposed of hazardous waste. The...

The court holds that a district court abused its discretion by abstaining from hearing property owner's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) claims against two petroleum companies. The court first holds that Florida's underground storage tank (UST) program is preempted to the extent there i...

The court holds that a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule establishing a bifurcated schedule for hazardous waste combustors to comply with strict new emission standards is arbitrary and capricious. The rule, promulgated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Resource Conservation and Rec...

The court affirms a district court holding that a city was liable for contributing to illegal dumping at two garbage dumps in violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and that the director of the state environmental agency could not be held liable for RCRA violations. Resident...

The court upholds the conviction of a fertilizer company owner who allowed hazardous waste to be disposed of without a permit while knowing that his actions placed others in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, but the court vacates a district court order requiring the owner to pay a $...

The court holds that under Ohio law, the doctrine of res judicata bars property owners' Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) suit against the property's seller for leaving gasoline buried in the soil. The owners filed their RCRA suit in federal court after they litigated contract and fraud ...