[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 64 (Monday, April 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 17533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8075]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Clean Air Act

    Under 28 CFR 50.7, notice is hereby given that on March 22, 2000, a 
proposed consent decree (``Consent Decree'') in United States v. 
Brownwood Furniture, Inc., Civil Action No. EDCV00-182 RT(BQR) (C.D. 
Cal.), was lodged with the United States District Court for the Central 
District of California.
    The Consent Decree resolves claims that the United States asserted 
against Brownwood Furniture, Inc. (``Brownwood'') in a civil complaint 
filed concurrently with the lodging of the Consent Decree. The 
complaint alleges violations of the Clean Air Act and the State 
Implementation Plan (``SIP'') at Brownwood's Rancho Cucamonga facility 
located in San Bernardino County, California. Specifically, the 
complaint alleges that defendant, Brownwood violated emissions and 
record-keeping conditions of its 1989 New Source Review permit to 
operate its original spray booth. The complaint also alleges that, with 
respect to the two spray booths defendant added in 1998, it failed to 
obtain valid permits to construct or permits to operate before 
constructing and operating that additional equipment; failed to apply 
Best Available Control Technology (``BACT''); and failed to provide 
emission offsets. In addition, the complaint alleges that defendant 
failed to provide all information necessary for the South Coast Air 
Quality Management District's permit determination. The complaint also 
alleges in the alternative, that if the permits to operate the new 
spray booths were valid, then defendant violated the emission limit of 
one of those permits. The Consent Decree requires defendant to pay a 
civil penalty of $115,000, plus interest, and follow a compliance plan 
to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions at the two 
additional booths by using ultra-low VOC coatings and/or the addition 
of control equipment.
    The Department of Justice will receive for a period of thirty (30) 
days from the date of this publication comments relating to the Consent 
Decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, 
Environment and Natural Resources Division, P.O. Box 7611, U.S. 
Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, and should refer to 
United States v. Brownwood Furniture, Inc., Civil Action No. EDCV00-182 
RT(BQR) (C.D. Cal.), and D.J. Ref. 90-5-2-1-06555.
    The Consent Decree may be examined at the Office of the United 
States Attorney, Federal Building Room, 7516, 300 North Los Angeles 
Street, Los Angeles, California 90012, and at U.S. EPA Region 9, 75 
Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. A copy of the Consent Decree 
may be obtained by mail from the Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611, 
U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 2004-7611. In requesting a 
copy, please enclose a check in the amount of $4.50 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost) payable to the Consent Decree Library.

Joel M. Gross,
Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural 
Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 00-8075 Filed 3-31-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M