[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 121 (Thursday, June 24, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 33909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-16107]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the National 
Marine Sanctuaries Act

    In accordance with Department policy, 28 CFR Sec. 50.7, notice is 
hereby given that a proposed Consent Decree in United States and Board 
of Trustees of the Internal Trust Fund of the State of Florida v. Atlas 
Shipping, Ltd. and Transportacion Maritima Mexicana S.A. de C.V. (S.D. 
Fla.), was lodged with the United States District Court for the 
Southern District of Florida on June 4, 1999 (Case No. 99-10061). The 
proposed Consent Decree resolves the claims of the United States and 
the State of Florida against Atlas Shipping, Ltd. and Transportacion 
Maritima Mexicana S.A. de C.V. pursuant to Section 1443 of the National 
Marine Sanctuaries Act, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 1431 et seq., and Florida 
Statutes Sec. 253.04 for response costs and damages arising out of the 
grounding of the Contship Houston in the Florida Keys National Marine 
Sanctuary on February 2, 1997. Defendants have previously undertaken 
restoration activities to repair injured Sanctuary resources and have 
partially reimbursed the plaintiffs for response costs. Under the 
Consent Decree, defendants will pay the United States $1,512,531 in 
reimbursement for past response costs and for future long term 
monitoring of the restoration. The defendants will pay the State of 
Florida $3334 in reimbursement of past response costs.
    The Department of Justice will receive, for a period of thirty (30) 
days from the date of this publication, comments relating to the 
proposed settlement agreement. Comments should be addressed to the 
Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources 
Division, U.S. Department of Justice, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, D.C. 
20044; and refer to United States and Board of Trustees of the Internal 
Trust Fund of the State of Florida v. Atlas Shipping, Ltd. and 
Transportacion Maritima Mexicana S.A. de C.V., DOJ # 90-5-1-1-4534.
    The proposed settlement agreement may be examined at the Office of 
the United States Attorney, Southern District of Florida, 99 N.E. 4th 
Street, Miami, Florida 33132 and at the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G 
Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005, (202) 624-0892. In 
requesting a copy please refer to the referenced case and enclose a 
check in the amount of $5.00 (25 cents per page reproduction costs), 
payable to the Consent Decree Library.
Joel M. Gross,
Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural 
Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 99-16107 Filed 6-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M