[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 110 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31525-31526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15211]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Safe Drinking Water 
Act

    In accordance with Department of Justice policy, 28 C.F.R. 50.7, 
notice is hereby given that on May 20, 1998, a proposed Consent Decree 
in United States and State of New York v. City of New York and New York 
Department of

[[Page 31526]]

Environmental Protection, Civil Action No. CV 97-2154 (Gershon, J.) 
(Gold, M.J.), was lodged with the United States District Court for the 
Eastern District of New York.
    In this action against the City, in which the State intervened, the 
United States sought a court order requiring the City to come into 
compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300f, et seq., 
and the Surface Water Treatment Rule, a National Primary Drinking Water 
Regulation, by installing filtration treatment for its Croton Water 
Supply System. Under the Consent Decree, the City is obligated to 
install filtration by constructing filtration facilities no later than 
September 2006, with full operation of the facilities in compliance 
with the Surface Water Treatment Rule, by no later than March 2007. The 
Consent Decree sets forth a schedule for meeting these deadlines, 
including timetables for the City to select a site(s) for the 
facilities in accordance with state environmental review procedures. 
Under the Consent Decree, the City is also obligated to monitor the 
quality of the drinking water supply until filtration is installed, and 
take other measures to protect the Croton Watershed. In addition, the 
City will pay a civil penalty of $1 million, and will spend $5 million 
on environmentally beneficially projects that protect the Croton 
Watershed and that may include projects within the community or 
communities where the filtration facilities will be constructed to 
mitigate or offset any potential environmental impacts on the 
community.
    The Department of Justice will receive for a period of thirty (30) 
days from the date of this publication comments relating to the Consent 
Decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General 
of the Environment and Natural Resources Division, Department of 
Justice, Washington, D.C. 20530, and should refer to Civil Action No. 
CV 97-2154 and D.J. Ref. 90-5-1-1-4429.
    The Consent Decree may be examined at the Office of the United 
States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, One Pierrepont 
Plaza, 14th Floor, Brooklyn, New York 11201, at U.S. EPA 
Region 2, 290 Broadway, New York, New York 10271 and at the Consent 
Decree Library, 1120 G Street, N.W., 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005, 
(202) 624-0892. A copy of the Consent Decree may be obtained in person 
or by mail from the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street, N.W., 4th 
Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005.
    In requesting a copy, please enclose a check in the amount of 
$18.00 (25 cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the Consent 
Decree Library.
Bruce S. Gelber,
Deputy Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and 
Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 98-15211 Filed 6-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M