[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 211 (Monday, November 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 58769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29202]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Clean Water 
Act, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, and the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

    In accordance with Departmental policy, 28 C.F.R. Sec. 50.7, notice 
is hereby given that a consent decree was lodged in United States v. 
Chevron Industries Inc., Civil Action No. C98-3966-MEJ (N.D. Cal.), on 
October 15, 1998, with the United States District Court for the 
Northern District of California.
    The case, regarding Chevron's refinery in Richmond, California, is 
a civil action under Section 309 of the Clean Water Act (``Act''), 33 
U.S.C. 1319, for violations of provisions of the Act and of National 
Pollution Elimination Discharge System (``NPDES'') permits issued in 
1987 and 1992. The United States' compliant alleges that Chevron 
violated the permits' `no bypass' provisions by routing wastewater 
around a granular activated carbon facility (``GAC Facility''), and 
that Chevron violated the permits' acute toxicity limits. The complaint 
also alleges that Chevron failed to make certain reports and give 
certain notices required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. 9601-9765 and the Emergency 
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, 42 U.S.C. 11001-11050.
    The Consent Decree requires Chevron to pay a penalty of $540,000. 
The Consent Decree also requires Chevron to increase the design 
capacity of its GAC Facility to 20 million gallons (``MGD'') a day, and 
to use that capacity to treat refinery wastewater, except for 3 MGD, 
which may be treated in an artificial wetland as long as the wetland 
effluent meets toxicity standards established in the Decree.
    The Department of Justice will receive, for a period of thirty (30) 
days from the date of this publication, comments on the proposed 
consent decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney 
General for the Environmental and Natural Resources Division, 
Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. 20530, and copied to Robert R. 
Klotz, Environmental Enforcement Section, U.S. Department of Justice, 
301 Howard Street, Suite 870, San Francisco, CA 94105. Comments should 
refer to United States v. Chevron Industries Inc., Civil No. C98-3966-
MEJ and DOJ No. 90-11-3-1398.
    The proposed Chevron (Richmond) consent decree may be examined at 
the office of the United States Attorney, Northern District of 
California, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California 94102; 
and at the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street, N.W., 3rd 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. 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005. To 
request a copy of the consent decree in United States v.Chevron 
Industries Inc., please refer to that case title, Civil No. C98-3966-
MEJ, DOJ No. 90-11-3-1398, and enclose a check for the amount of $10.75 
(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. 98-29202 Filed 10-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M