[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 142 (Friday, July 24, 1998)] [Notices] [Page 39893] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-19735] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Notice is hereby given that on July 13, 1998 a proposed Consent Decree in Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Fund, Inc., The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Inc., and W. Robert Hancock, Jr. v. The City of Atlanta, Georgia, Civil Action No. 1:95-CV-2550-TWT and United States of America and State of Georgia v. City of Atlanta, Civil Action 1:98-CV-1956-TWT (CONSOLIDATED) was lodged with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. This Consent Decree represents a settlement of claims against the City of Atlanta, Georgia under Section 309 (b) and (d) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1319 (b) and (d). Under this settlement between the Citizen Plaintiffs, United States, the State and the City, the City will be required to undertake extensive rehabilitation to its Combined Sewer Overflow systems (CSOs). The consent decree also provides for the recovery of a civil penalty of $2,500,000 to be paid by the City. The penalty shall be paid as follows: within thirty (60)??? days after the consent decree is entered by the Court, the City shall pay $500,000 to the United States, and $500,000 to the State of Georgia, on or before the one year anniversary of the Date of Entry, the City shall pay $750,000 to the United States and $750,000 to the State of Georgia. In addition, the consent decree requires the City to undertake the implementation of a Supplemental Environmental Project (``SEP''). The SEP involves the acquisition of riparian properties or ``greenways'' for the purpose of reducing or eliminating non-point source pollution into the Chattahoochee and South Rivers and or their tributaries. The City shall also be required to undertake a cleanup of the Combined Sewer Overflow stream beds. A secondary benefit of the SEP shall be to protect, restore, and enhance aquatic and stream corridor habitats of the river systems. The Department of Justice will receive for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of this publication comments relating to the proposed 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 United States of America and State of Georgia v. City of Atlanta, Georgia, Civil Action No. 1:98-CV-1956-TWT (CONSOLIDATED), D.J. Ref. 90-5-1-1-4430. The proposed consent decree may be examined at the Office of the United States Attorney, Northern District of Georgia, 1800 United States Courthouse, 75 Spring Street, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30335 and at Region 4, Office of the Environmental Protection Agency, Water Programs Enforcement Branch, Water Management Division, Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3104, and at the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street, N.W., 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005, (202) 624-0892. A copy of the proposed 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. In requesting a copy, please enclose a check in the amount of $29.25 (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. 98-19735 Filed 7-23-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410-15-M