[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 69 (Friday, April 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 17891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9449]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to Clean Water Act 
and Oil Pollution Act of 1990

    In accordance with United States Department of Justice policy, as 
set out in 28 CFR 50.7, notice is hereby given of the lodging on March 
25, 1998 of a proposed Consent Decree in United States, et al. v. 
Texaco Refining and Marketing, Inc., Civil Action No. C98-0371 (W.D. 
Wash.).
    The proposed Decree resolves claims by Natural Resources Trustees 
of the United States Department of the Interior, the State of 
Washington, the Lummi Nation, the Nooksack Tribe, the Swinomish Indian 
Tribal Community and the Suquamish Tribe for Natural Resource Damages 
arising out of discharges of oil by Texaco Refining and Marketing, Inc. 
in 1991 and 1992 from its facility near Anacortes, Washington into the 
waters of the United States and the adjoining shoreline at Fidalgo Bay 
in violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. 1251, et seq., as 
amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), 33 U.S.C. 2701, et 
seq., and OPA itself.
    The same discharges were the subject of an earlier judicial action 
by the United States captioned United States v. Texaco Refining and 
Marketing, Inc., Civil Action No. C93-181C, (W.D. Wash.) and 
administrative proceedings by the State of Washington which were 
resolved through a clean-up by Texaco; the payment of $500,000 in civil 
and administrative penalties; and actions to prevent future discharges. 
Under the current Decree, Texaco will pay an additional $500,000 to 
undertake projects to restore natural resources and reimburse 
assessment costs.
    The United States Department of Justice will receive comments on 
the proposed Decree for a period of thirty days after publication. 
Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General of the 
Environment and Natural Resources Division, United States Department of 
Justice, Washington, D.C., 20530 and should reference United States, et 
al. v. Texaco Refining and Marketing Inc., DJ Ref. #90-5-1-1-3766A.
    The proposed Decree may be examined at the offices of the United 
States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, 3600 Seafirst 
Plaza, 800--5th Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98104; the Office of the 
Attorney General for the State of Washington, Ecology Division, 629 
Woodland Square Loop SE, 4th Floor, Lacey, Washington 98503; or the 
United States Department of Justice Consent Decree Library, 1120 F 
Street, N.W., 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005 (202-624-0892). If 
requesting copies from the Department of Justice Consent Decree 
Library, please enclose a check in the amount of $13.00 (twenty-five 
cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the Consent Decree Library 
and refer to United States, et al. v. Texaco Refining and Marketing 
Inc., DJ Ref. #90-5-1-1-3766A.
Bruce S. Gelber,
Deputy Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and 
Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 98-9449 Filed 4-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M