State and Local Government Law Commons^™

Industrial Property Transfer Liability: Reality V. Necessity, Ellen Joanne Gerber

Cleveland State Law Review

Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, the current owner is liable for the cleanup of hazardous waste, even if a previous owner was responsible for the soil and groundwater contamination, unless he can prove he is an innocent landowner. In response to CERCLA, many owners of industrial facilities have chosen to relocate their companies to rural areas. Unfortunately, these actions have a substantial impact on former industrial urban areas. Section II of this article discusses the liability of a landowner in a CERCLA action. In addition, it sets forth the elements of the innocent landowner defense and …