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EPA Sues W.R. Grace for Cleanup Costs

April 4, 2001

EPA said Monday it is suing W.R. Grace for more than $10 million\r\nto cover the cost of investigation and cleanup in Libby, Mont.

EHS Today Staff

EPA said Monday it is suing W.R. Grace for more than $10 million to cover the cost of investigation and cleanup in Libby, Mont.

The agency filed its lawsuit in federal district court in Missoula on Friday, just one business day before Grace announced it is filling for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The lawsuit also asks the court for a declaratory judgment for any future costs incurred by EPA in its asbestos work.

EPA handled the cleanup of the Raintree Nursery site under the Superfund program, and oversaw Grace''s cleanup of the Millwork West property.

Vermiculite was processed at both sites through the years.

In addition to W.R. Grace in Delaware and W.R. Grace Conn in Connecticut, the lawsuit names Kootenai Development Co. as a defendant.

Kootenai Development purchased the mine site and part of the processing facility at Libby after Grace closed the mine in 1990.

The property became contaminated with asbestos over a 70-year period as vermiculite, which was used in home insulation and garden fertilizer, was mined and processed in an around Libby.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

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EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.