Pollution control; consent judgments: Chevron Environmental Management Co. et al.,

[Federal Register: January 23, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 15)]

[Notices]

[Page 3232-3233]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr23ja02-103]

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Notice of Lodging of Consent Degree Pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

Pursuant to Section 122(d)(2) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (``CERCLA''), 42 U.S.C. 9622(d)(2), and 28 CFR 50.7, notice is hereby given that a proposed decree embodying a settlement in United States v. Chevron Environmental Management Co., et al. No. CV 01-11162 MMM (JWJx), was lodged on December 28, 2001, with the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division.

In a complaint filedconcurrently with the lodging of the consent decree, the United States, the State of California, and the California Hazardous Substance Account, seek injunctive relief for performance of response actions and reimbursement of response costs incurred by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'') and by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (``DTSC''), pursuant to Sections 106 and 107 of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9606, 9607, in response to releases of hazardous substances at the Operating Industries, Inc. (``OII'') Superfund site in Monterey Park, California. Under the proposed consent decree, the settling defendants have agreed to pay response costs and fund perform future response actions at the OII Site.

Overall this consent decree has a combined value of approximately $340 million, contributed by the respective parties in cash, or work commitments and reimbursement of past response costs. The settlement addresses the full implementation of the final remedy at the Site. Under this settlement, Work Defendants will perform the Work required by the consent decree, valued at approximately $297 million ($262 million in work plus $35 million in future oversight costs), which will be funded through Work Defendant contributions, payments by Cash Defendants and escrow accounts established under prior settlement or to be established under this settlement. EPA will receive approximately $10 million to be placed in a Special Account, which is available to pay for Excluded Work. The settlement also includes an agreement by the United States Navy to pay approximately $1 million to resolve the Navy's potential liability at the OII site.

The Department of Justice will receive comments relating to the proposed Consent Decree for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of this publication. As a result of the discovery of anthrax contamination at the District of Columbia mail processing center in mid-October, 2001, the delivery of regular first-class mail sent through the U.S. Postal Service has been disrupted. Consequently, public comments which are addressed to the Department of Justice in Washington, DC and sent by regular, first-class mail through the U.S. Postal Service are not expected to be received in timely manner. Therefore, comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, Department of Justice, and sent: (1) c/o Noel Wise, United States Department of Justice, 301 Howard Street Suite 1050, San Francisco, CA 94105; and/or (2) by facsimile to (202) 353-0296; and/or (3) by overnight delivery, other than through the U.S. Postal Service, to Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, 1425 New York Avenue, NW., 13th Floor, Washington, DC 20005. Each communication should refer on its face to United States

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Attorney for the EPA Region 9 Superfund Records Center, 75 Hawthorne Street, Fourth Floor, San Francisco, California 94105, and at the Office of the United States Attorney for the Central District of California, Federal Building, Room 7516, 300 North Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, California 90012. A copy of the proposed Consent Decree may also be obtained by faxing a request to Tonia Fleetwood, Department of Justice Consent Decree Library, fax no. (202) 616-6584; phone confirmation no (202) 514-1547. There is a charge for the copy (25 cent per page reproduction cost). Upon requesting a copy, please mail a check payable to the ``U.S. Treasury'', in the amount of $250.50 to: Consent Decree Library, U.S. Department of Justice, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, DC 20044-7611. The check should refer to United States v. Chevron Environmental Management Co., et al., DOJ Ref. #90-11-2-156/4.

Ellen M. Mahan, Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division.

[FR Doc. 02-1566Filed1-22-02; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410-15-M