Minnesota. Attorney General. Environmental Protection Division.

In 1978, the U. S. Army Toxic Hazardous Materials Agency prepared a report that described waste handling, treatment, storage, and disposal activities at the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant [TCAAP] site in Ramsey County. It indicated that areas of the site, which was federally owned but contractor-operated by Federal Cartridge Corporation (after 1985, Federal-Hoffman, Inc.), had been used since its inception in 1941 for the disposal of waste solvents, acids, caustics, heavy metals, and other production wastes. The Attorney General's office became aware of the report in 1981 and launched a series of investigations into hydrologic, geologic and contaminant conditions at the site. Findings showed that the soil, surficial waters and ground waters on the property were contaminated, along with private, municipal and commercial wells in the nearby vicinity.

In 1987, the state was prepared to file a civil suit to establish liability for and recover damages caused by contamination released at the site. The potential defendants in the case included the United States of America, U. S. Department of Defense, U. S. Department of the Army, and private corporations, Federal-Hoffman, Inc., and Honeywell, Inc. The latter had conducted operations at the site since 1958. The state was also prepared to sue Federal-Hoffman, Inc. and Honeywell, Inc. for violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Clean Water Act, and Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Before the case went to court, however, an out of court settlement was reached between the State of Minnesota, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U. S. Army.