Toxics Law Reporter Index-Summary

RADIATION

– Cell phones, radio-frequencies, suit barred (3d Cir,), 1124
– Hanford nuclear waste site, consent decree approval sought (E.D. Wash.), 1078
– Imaging devices, radiation exposure, Insight, 896
– Nuclear reactors, waste collection by Energy Dept., contract breach (Fed. Cl.), 954
– Oil and gas firms, drinking water, bankruptcy (3d Cir.), 8
– Plutonium, Rocky Flats weapons plant, improper jury instructions (10th Cir.), 909
– Solvents from nuclear fuel plant, retrial granted (E.D.N.Y.), 517
– Superfund

– – Byproduct releases, state-initiated cleanup (M.D. Pa.), 120
– – Gulf Nuclear Site, cleanup resolved by Halliburton and others (S.D. Tex.), 862

– Tritium, groundwater claims, Exelon settles (Ill. Cir. Ct.), 243
– Uranium mill, but-for causation applies to toxic torts under N.M. law (10th Cir,), 938

RAILROADS

– Asbestos

– – FELA, railroad worker's damages jury question (Miss.), 69
– – Former workers file series of suits (Minn. Dist. Ct.), 614
– – Maintenance shop, locomotive law bars widow's suit (3d Cir.), 940
– – Strict liability laws, preemption (Pa. Super. Ct.), 22

– Chlorine gas, railway not liable to residents outside evacuation area (4th Cir.), 1178
– Clean Air Act (CAA)

– – Boston commuter rail to cut emissions (D. Mass.), 805
– – Cal. diesel emission rules barred (9th Cir.), 977

– Cleaning solvent and brain damage, FELA verdict (Ky.), 516
– Coal tar distillates spill, loading and inspection firms not liable (S.D.W. Va.), 165
– CWA, coal dust in Seward waters (D. Alaska), 30
– Minn. cost recovery, discretion in timeliness (D. Minn.), 731
– Preemption, state superfund case no bar to tort suit (9th Cir.), 1152
– Wood treatment chemicals, railroad tie plant, residents' suit revived (5th Cir.), 205

RCRA

See RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT (RCRA)

REAL ESTATE

– Asbestos

– – Floor tile manufacturer may not invoke statute of repose (R.I. Super. Ct.), 1027
– – Incomplete disclosure justifies fraud suit against seller (W.D.N.C.), 1303
– – Seattle, fines proposed, 972

– CAA, San Joaquin Valley, developer fees for failing to mitigate air impact (9th Cir.), 1315
– Canada, nickel refinery liable for lost property values, 699
– Carbon monoxide, no coverage absent injury or property damage (N.H.), 1006
– Cement, property damage claim accrued despite state's finding (Tex. Ct. App.), 1235
– Chinese drywall, sulfur gas

See SULFUR DIOXIDE

– Climate change, Hurricane Katrina, Miss. property owners' suit (5th Cir.), 180; appeal dismissed, 541; (U.S., rev sought), 910
– CWA, developer's dredging conviction (U.S., rev den), 29
– Hurricane Katrina, formaldehyde in FEMA trailers, dismissal affirmed (5th Cir,), 1336
– Indemnification, migration potential does not bar “owned property” exclusion (9th Cir.), 189
– Mold

– – Disclosure, homeowner's suit against real estate agent (Cal. Ct. App.), 911
– – Mobile home minus land not “real property,” suit untimely (Mich. Ct. App.), 156
– – Stucco maker must indemnify installer (Tex.), 882

– Oil and gas

– – Home seller with leaking fuel oil lacks state superfund defense (Wash. Ct. App.), 1318
– – Pre-purchase contamination, land owners may sue (La. Ct. App.), 854

– Superfund, cost recovery, “ownership” status determined at time of cleanup (9th Cir.), 754
– TSCA, lead paint, disclosure rules for residential leases (11th Cir.), 782
– Vapor intrusion

– – Armed services, DuPont explosives plant, residents file groundwater suit (N.J. Super. Ct.), 207
– – Screening standard to be finalized by ATSM Intl., 382; date for standard issued, 441

– Vinyl chloride from chemical plant, class not certified (E.D. Pa.), 232

RECALLS

– Digitek, recall, economic loss (S.D.W. Va.), 98; class certification denied, 592
– Mandatory drug recalls, FDA seeks additional resources and authority, 239
– Pyrethrin-based flea and tick products, pet owners class seek recall (D.N.J.), 258

RECYCLING

– RCRA, Chicago fluorescent bulb recycler charged with permit violations, 464
– Superfund

– – N.Y. site, costs sought from metal dealers and recyclers (S.D.N.Y.), 377
– – PCE recycling machine, manufacturer not liable as arranger (E.D. Cal.), 833

– Water pollution, Fox River tributary, recycling firm indicted (Ill. Cir. Ct.), 568

REFINERIES

– Asbestos exposure by Cal. resident at Okla. refinery, Okla. law governs (Cal.), 158
– Benzene

– – BP refinery, Tex. sues over emissions (Tex. Dist. Ct.), 807; EPA begins probe, 983; BP penalty set (E.D. Tex.), 1036
– – Cancer claims tied to shuttered Gulf Oil refinery (S.D. Ohio), 134

– Canada, nickel refinery liable for lost property values, 699
– Carbon disulfide, negligence award for BP workers set aside (S.D. Tex.), 254
– Clean Air Act (CAA)

– – Diesel engines in ships, nitrogen oxide rule challenge (D.C. Cir.), 679
– – Murphy Oil, Meraux facility (E.D. La.), 122; settlement (W.D. Wis.), 1009
– – Petroleum, settlement requires new storage tank controls (E.D. Mich.), 293
– – Residual emission risks, EPA seeks data, 1040
– – Shell refineries to pay fine and implement pollution controls (S.D. Tex.), 326
– – Tex., groups threaten to sue ExxonMobil over emissions, 707; suit filed (S.D. Tex.), 1316

– Double Eagle site, Okla., multiple defendants settle (W.D. Okla.), 1108
– Dust exposure at battle reenactment, class certified (E.D. La.), 617
– Natural resource damages, San Pablo Bay, Cal., Chevron fined (N.D. Cal.), 141
– RCRA

– – Cheyenne, Wyo., refiner to pay, 599
– – Oil tanker trailer emptying order, origin of waste irrelevant (E.D. Ky.), 241
– – Sediment exclusion granted to Valero, 220

– Spills

See SPILLS

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

– EPA launches Integrated Cleanup Initiative, 218; draft plan released, 1320
– Fugitive emissions, reporting rule exemptions, stay proposed, 145; imposed, 293
– Greenhouse gas, EPA proposal, comments accepted, 354; EPA withdraws proposal, 437; EPA proposes technical corrections, 571; settlement announced, 729; documents released on proposed settlement (D.C. Cir.), 758; final rule on methane emissions issued, 1188
– Hydrogen sulfide releases, 16-year stay to be lifted, 191
– Tenn., hazardous waste records permanent under proposal, 646

RES JUDICATA

– Tobacco industry, widow's wrongful death suit barred (Cal.), 484

RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT (RCRA)

– Air transportation

– – Masonry block from aircraft particles, rule clarification (U.S., rev sought), 430; (rev den), 563
– – Spirit AeroSystems, Kan. parts maker settles waste claims, 730

– Aluminum firm, civil penalty, 103
– Attorneys' fee-shifting provision unavailable to voluntarily dismissed defendant (N.D. Cal.), 1344
– Bankruptcy, cleanup costs not dischargeable (U.S., rev sought), 215; briefing time extended, 644; (rev den), 1034
– Citizens' suits

See CITIZENS' SUITS

– Criminal cases

See CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE

– Enforcement, more stringent state law enforceable under RCRA (1st Cir.), 1344
– Exemptions

– – EPA drops rule allowing burning of wastes to make fuel, 572
– – Incinerator waste at Tex. plant, exclusion proposed, 1013

– Fertilizers

– – Asphyxiated workers at MagnaGro, EPA issues complaint, 1141
– – ExxonMobil to close Tex. acid waste impoundment, 1035
– – Plant City, cleanup settlement (M.D. Fla.), 803

– Indemnification pact, hazardous waste claims (W.D. Pa.), 101
– Magnesium waste, EPA may reinterpret rule without formal procedure (10th Cir.), 861
– Mercury, Chicago fluorescent bulb recycler charged with permit violations, 464
– Nev., hazardous waste facility fined, 1079
– PCE, dry cleaning machine makers not liable for waste water disposal (E.D. Cal.), 259
– Pesticides

– – Fort Madison, Iowa, violations settled, 1079
– – Unauthorized storage, fine (W.D. Mo.), 292

– Pharmaceutical waste in N.Y. drinking water, 59
– Potassium hydroxide shipment, EPA view of “spent material” challenged (D.C. Cir.), 463; initial use determines product's status, 802
– Refineries

– – Cheyenne, Wyo., refiner to pay, 599
– – Sediment exclusion granted, 220

– Shipment of hazardous waste, global standards, 15
– Solid waste, EPA proposal could unfairly classify fuels, 840
– Sulfuric acid, chemical firm resolves waste charges (S.D. Tex.), 890
– Titanium dioxide pigment firm settles pollution charges (S.D. Ga.), 1010
– USTs, gas stations

– – Del. and Md., owner to pay civil fine (D. Del.), 783
– – Idaho, Goodman Oil fined (D. Idaho), 1106
– – Monroe County, compliance failure (M.D. Pa.), 102

– Wire maker's waste water sludge, EPA proposes excluding from list, 294

RESTAURANTS

– Carcinogen in grilled chicken, suit against chain restaurants reinstated (Cal. Ct. App.), 858; suit proceeds (Cal.), 1157

RETAIL INDUSTRY

– CAA. auto parts retailer Pep Boys fined for import violations (D.D.C.), 464
– Chinese drywall, sulfur gas, Lowe's settles class suit (Ga. Super. Ct.), 825
– Lowe's settles Cal. VOC rule allegations, 1165
– Pharmacies

– – Fentanyl, fatal overdose from generic patch, fraudulent joinder (S.D.N.Y.), 136
– – Urinary tract analgesic, allergic reaction, no liability (6th Cir.), 95; (U.S., rev den), 1029

– Target ordered to stop disposing hazardous waste (Cal. Super. Ct.), 1011
– Wal-Mart

– – Cadmium in toys, testing standards adopted, 429
– – Carbon monoxide, enclosed freezer section employees' claims time-barred (6th Cir.), 204
– – Waste violations settled (Cal. Sup. Ct.), 434

RETIREMENT

– France, asbestos, payments for early retirees, 27

RHODE ISLAND

– Asbestos, floor tile manufacturer may not invoke statute of repose (R.I. Super. Ct.), 1027
– Greenhouse gas, carmakers drop suits against states that adopted Cal. rules (D.R.I.), 352
– Lead paint, nuisance case, litigation costs denied successful defendants (R.I. Super. Ct.), 554
– Pollution exclusion clauses, small chance coverage triggers duty to defend (D.R.I.), 430
– RCRA, more stringent state law enforceable (1st Cir.), 1344