[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 127 (Thursday, July 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 36234]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17685]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6119-8]


Proposed Administrative Penalty Assessment and Opportunity to 
Comment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of proposed assessment of Clean Water Act class I 
administrative penalties and opportunity to comment.

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SUMMARY: EPA is providing notice of a proposed administrative penalty 
for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act. EPA is also providing 
notice of opportunity to comment on the proposed penalty.
    EPA is authorized under section 309(g) of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 
1319(g), to assess a civil penalty after providing the person subject 
to the penalty notice of the proposed penalty and the opportunity for a 
hearing, and after providing interested persons public notice of the 
proposed penalty and a reasonable opportunity to comment on its 
issuance. Under section 309(g), any person who discharges a pollutant 
to a navigable water in excess of its NPDES limits, as those terms are 
defined in section 502 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1362, may be assessed a 
penalty of up to $27,500 by EPA. Class I proceedings under section 
309(g) are conducted in accordance with Subpart I of the proposed 
``Consolidated Rules of Practice Governing The Administrative 
Assessment of Civil Penalties, Issuance of Compliance or Corrective 
Action Orders, and the Revocation, Termination or Suspension of 
Permits,''(``proposed part 22''), which has been published in the 
Federal Register at 63 FR 9480 (February 25, 1998).
    EPA is providing public notice of the following proposed Class I 
penalty proceeding initiated by the Water Division, U.S. EPA, Region 9, 
75 Hawthorne St., San Francisco, CA 94105:
    In the Matter of Chevron U.S.A. Production Company, California; 
Docket No. CWA-IX-FY98-12, filed June 22,1998; proposed penalty, 
$9,000, for exceeding permitted limits during discharge into the 
Pacific Ocean on May 16, 1997 from Platform Hidalgo operated by Chevron 
U.S.A. Production Company, 646 County Square Drive, Ventura, California 
93003.
    The procedures by which the public may comment on a proposed Class 
I penalty or participate in a Class I penalty proceeding are set forth 
in proposed part 22. The deadline for submitting public comment on a 
proposed Class I penalty is thirty days after issuance of public 
notice. The Regional Administrator of EPA, Region 9 may issue an order 
upon default if the respondent in the proceeding fails to file a 
response within the time period specified in proposed part 22.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons wishing to receive a copy of 
proposed part 22, review the complaint or other documents filed in 
these proceedings, comment upon the proposed penalty, or participate in 
any hearing that may be held, should contact Danielle Carr, Regional 
Hearing Clerk, U.S. EPA, Region 9, 75 Hawthorne St., San Francisco, CA 
94105, (415) 744-1391. Documents filed as part of the public record in 
these proceedings are available for inspection during business hours at 
the office of the Regional Hearing Clerk.
    In order to provide opportunity for public comment, EPA will not 
take final action in this proceeding prior to thirty days after 
issuance of this document.

    Dated: June 22, 1998.
Alexis Strauss,
Acting Director,
Water Division.
[FR Doc. 98-17685 Filed 7-1-98; 8:45 am]
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