-=> Quoting Michael Bowen to Joe Phillips <=-
 JP> I worked for a local hardware store for about 9 months before it
 JP> closed.  One  of the thing we did was pump K-1 Kerosene for heating.  A
 JP> lot of kerosene got  spilled over the years, and I am sure there is
 JP> still some in the ground.  My  understanding of EPA regs is that ANY
 JP> owner of that land is responsible for  pollution on the site,
 JP> regardless of any ignorance of the problem.  is this  correct?  Could
 JP> someone buy that shopping center in 20 years and have to clean  up
 JP> where the tank was?  It was an above ground tank, and the location is
 JP> very  conspicous.  The asphalt around/in front of location is stained. 
 JP> I am just  trying to get a feel for how long the long arm of the law is
 JP> in this case. 
 JP> Joe Phillips
 
 MB> Yes, I believe you are correct in saying that any future owners are 
 MB> responsible for cleaning any pollution on the site.  However, and I
 
   I think that if the site of the spillage was asphalt pavement
   as stated above, the 'polluting' would have been greatest as
   it occurred.  I'm not sure that kerosene would even seep all
   the way through asphalt but would wash into the storm sewers 
   during rainfalls. Just my $.02 ($.05 Cdn)
   Later...
            ]D) ]M[ c
... Strip mining prevents forest fires.
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