Pat Recently Purchased Some Property That She Knew Used to Be

question 34

Essay

Pat recently purchased some property that she knew used to be home to a chemical plant 50 years ago. The plant was removed 30 years ago. Today the property is full of trees and the stream running through it is clear and looks clean. Last month the EPA determined that her property, as well as several neighboring properties, is contaminated. The EPA placed the entire site on the National Priorities List for cleanup. How liable for the hazardous waste is Pat?

---

Definitions:

Sub-

A prefix indicating beneath, under, or a lower rank or status.

Poly-

A prefix meaning "many" or "multiple," used in various scientific and technical contexts to denote multiplicity.

Blast

A powerful explosion or a strong gust of wind or air.

Cidal

Used as a suffix in pharmacology and microbiology to indicate substances or actions that kill (e.g., bactericidal, which means capable of killing bacteria).