[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 223 (Thursday, November 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 64280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30969]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Amended Consent Decree Pursuant to the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act

    Notice is hereby given that on October 30, 1998, the United States 
lodged a proposed amended consent decree, with the United States 
District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, in United States, 
et al. v. the City of Rockford, Illinois, Civil No. 98 C 50026, under 
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability 
Act, as amended (``CERCLA''), 42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq. The Amended 
Consent Decree resolves certain claims of the United States and the 
State of Illinois against the City of Rockford, Illinois, under 
Sections 106(a) and 107(a) of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9606(a) and 9607(a) at 
the Southeast Rockford Groundwater Contamination (``Site'') located in 
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. Under the proposed Amended 
Consent Decree, the City of Rockford reaffirms the term and provisions 
of the original Consent Decree entered by the Court on or about April 
9, 1998 (to perform the remedial action selected by U.S. EPA in its 
September 30, 1995, Record of Decision), and the Plaintiffs will be 
paid approximately $14.7 million. The Amended Consent Decree resolves 
claims of Plaintiffs against the City of Rockford, as set forth in the 
Amended Consent Decree, and resolves potential claims the Plaintiffs 
may have against the Covenant Beneficiaries, as set forth in the 
Amended Consent Decree. The City of Rockford and Covenant Beneficiaries 
will receive the covenants not to sue and contribution protection 
specified in the Amended Consent Decree. The Department of Justice also 
provides Notice that under section 7003(d) of the Resource Conservation 
and Recovery Act (``RCRA''), 42 U.S.C. 6973(d), the public may request 
an opportunity for a public meeting at which time they may offer 
comment.
    The Department of Justice will receive comments relating to the 
proposed Consent Decree for 30 days following publication of this 
Notice. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, 
Environment and Natural Resources Division, United States Department of 
Justice, P.O. Box 7611, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, D.C. 20044-
7611, and should refer to United States, et al. v. The City of 
Rockford, Illinois, (Civil No. 98 C 50026, N.D. Ill.), D.J. Ref. No. 
90-11-3-945. The proposed Consent Decree may be examined at the Office 
of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, 
Western Division, Rockford, Illinois; the Region V Office of the United 
States Environmental Protection Agency, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, 
Chicago, Illinois 60604; and at the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G 
Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20005, telephone No. (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. In requesting a copy, please enclose a 
check for reproduction costs (at 25 cents per page) in the amount of 
$13.75 for the Decree, payable to the Consent Decree Library.
Bruce S. Gelber,
Deputy Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and 
Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 98-30969 Filed 11-18-98; 8:45 am]
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