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COURT APPROVES JIBBOOM JUNKYARD SUPERFUND SETTLEMENT

Release Date: 3/21/1995
Contact Information: Lois Grunwald, U.S. EPA, (415) 744-1588

   (San Francisco)--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(U.S. EPA) today announced a federal court has approved an
agreement reached between U.S. EPA and six parties for a $4.4
million settlement for past costs incurred by the Agency at the
Jibboom Junkyard Superfund site, Sacramento, Calif.  The
settlement also requires the parties to reimburse the California
Environmental Protection Agency more than $700,000 for past
costs.

      The six parties are Southern Pacific Transportation Co.,
Levin Enterprises, the U.S. Department of Defense, the California
Department of Transportation, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and
the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.

     "This settlement demonstrates the success the Superfund
program is having nationwide in avoiding costly litigation, while
still having those responsible for hazardous waste sites bear the
costs of paying for them," said Jeff Zelikson, U.S. EPA regional
hazardous waste management director.  "Superfund has collected
over $10 billion since the program began in 1980."

     The Superfund law requires full reimbursement of past costs
associated with site cleanup activities where financially viable
parties are present.

     Levin Enterprises is the successor to the original owner and
operator of the site. U.S. EPA alleges that each of the other
parties sent hazardous substances to the site.  

      The Jibboom Junkyard site is located in downtown
Sacramento.  Between approximately 1950 and 1965, the site was
operated as a metals salvage business by the Associated Metals
Co., which later merged with Levin Enterprises.
                               
    The site was placed on U.S. EPA's National Priorities List
in 1983, after elevated concentrations of lead, copper and zinc
were detected in the soil at the site.  U.S. EPA performed the
site cleanup in 1986 and 1987 and paid for the action through
Superfund.  The site was deleted from the NPL in 1991.

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