[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 51 (Tuesday, March 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 13072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6843]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Consent Decrees Under the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and the Resource Conservation 
and Recovery Act

    Notice is hereby given that a consent decree in United States v. 
Bell Petroleum, et al., Civil Action No. MO-88-CA-05(W.D. Tex.) was 
lodged with the United States District Court for the Western District 
of Texas on March 6, 1998.
    This action was filed in 1988 against Bell Petroleum Company and 
others to recover costs the United States had incurred and was 
continuing to incur in connection with the Odessa Chromium I Site in 
Odessa, Texas. At the time of settlement, the case was on its third 
appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
    The United States previously settled with all defendants except 
Sequa Corporation and Chromalloy American Corporation, a subsidiary of 
Sequa, recovering in excess of $1 million through those settlements. 
The present settlement resolves the United States' pending claims and 
certain future claims against Sequa and Chromalloy.
    Under the Consent Decree, Sequa Corporation and Chromalloy American 
Corporation will pay the United States $2.2 million in cash. Fifty 
percent of the payment will be used to complete ongoing remedial 
actions at the Odessa I Site. The other fifty percent will reimburse 
the United States for past costs incurred by the United States in 
connection with the Odessa I Site. In exchange for these payments, the 
United States will provide a covenant not to sue to Sequa and 
Chromalloy under sections 106 and 107 of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Recovery Act (``CERCLA''), 42 
U.S.C. 9606 and 9607, and Section 7003 of the Resource Conservation and 
Recovery Act (``RCRA''), 42 U.S.C. 6973, relating to the Odessa I Site.
    The Department of Justice will receive written comments relating to 
the proposed Consent Decree for thirty (30) days from the date of 
publication of this notice. Please address comments to the Assistant 
Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, 
Department of Justice, P.O. Box 7611, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, 
D.C. 20044 and refer to United States v. Bell Petroleum et al., D.J. 
Ref. No. 90-11-3-229A.
    The Consent Decree may be examined at the Region 6 Office of EPA, 
1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75202, and at the Office of the United 
States Attorney, 400 West Illinois, Suite 1200, Midland, Texas.
    A copy of the Consent Decree (if requested) may also be obtained in 
person or by mail from the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street, N.W., 
4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005, (202) 624-0892. In requesting 
copies, please enclose a check in the amount of $5.50 (25 cents per 
page reproduction cost) payable to the ``Consent Decree Library.''
Joel Gross,
Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural 
Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 98-6843 Filed 3-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M