Beazer East, Inc. v. Mead Corp.

OPINION

ROTH, Circuit Judge.

The Mead Corporation appeals several orders of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in a CERCLA 1 contribution action brought by Beazer East, Inc. The main issue presented in these appeals is whether the District Court, over Mead’s objection, properly referred part of Beazer’s action- — ■ the equitable allocation proceeding — to the Magistrate Judge. In conducting this proceeding, the Magistrate Judge resolved factual disputes going to one of the ultimate issues in the case — what share of Beazer’s response costs should be borne…