After Torrington Hide and Metal of Wyoming was found to be
contaminated under the federal Superfund law, the company promptly
declared bankruptcy to protect itself from creditors. Searching for a
liable party, the Environmental Protection Agency then sued the five
largest companies that contributed to the toxic site. To deflect part
of the $1.25 million cleanup fine the EPA was demanding, four of these
five companies turned around and sued 54 third parties identified as
potential contributors to the mess. Since Russ Zimmer's name appeared
on two cancelled checks, he was named among the smaller entities and
forced to pay $3,500 as part of the court settlement. One bill was for a
bag of dog chow, and the other was for a $4.85 bag of seed he sold to
the company. Other defendants included the St. Joseph's Children's
Home and a South Dakota volunteer fire department.
10/3/94
After Torrington Hide and Metal of Wyoming was found to be
contaminated under the federal Superfund law, the company promptly
declared bankruptcy to protect itself from creditors. Searching for a
liable party, the Environmental Protection Agency then sued the five
largest companies that contributed to the toxic site. To deflect part
of the $1.25 million cleanup fine the EPA was demanding, four of these
five companies turned around and sued 54 third parties identified as
potential contributors to the mess. Since Russ Zimmer's name appeared
on two cancelled checks, he was named among the smaller entities and
forced to pay $3,500 as part of the court settlement. One bill was for a
bag of dog chow, and the other was for a $4.85 bag of seed he sold to
the company. Other defendants included the St. Joseph's Children's
Home and a South Dakota volunteer fire department.
