In the early 1970s, the United States government identified and became wary of hazardous materials in soil, surface water, groundwater, and building structures. Most of these contaminants resulted from the evolution of technology without the benefit of chemical regulatory controls. The cost for cleanup of such sites was projected to exceed a trillion dollars, the burden of which was to be borne by the taxpayer and responsible parties. The term “responsible party” is a broad term but, in the final analysis, a responsible party is usually a property owner
