[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 73 (Friday, April 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 20158]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9236]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6577-6]


Notice of Proposed Administrative Order on Consent Pursuant to 
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability 
Act (``CERCLA''), East Multnomah County Groundwater Contamination Site, 
Portland, OR

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 122(i) of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as 
amended (``CERCLA''), 42 U.S.C. 9622(i), notice is hereby given that 
the United States Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA''), the State 
of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (``DEQ'') and the City of 
Portland (``the City'') have negotiated a proposed Administrative Order 
on Consent (``Consent Order'') pursuant to section 122(g) of CERCLA, 42 
U.S.C. 9622(g), as amended, and applicable Oregon state law, to be 
issued jointly by EPA and DEQ to the City, with respect to the East 
Multnomah County Groundwater Contamination Site in Oregon (``Site'').

DATES: Comments must be provided on or before May 15, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Alan Goodman, Project 
Manager, Oregon Operations Office, Environmental Protection Agency, 811 
SW Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor, Portland, Oregon, 97204, and refer to In 
the Matter of East Multnomah County Groundwater Contamination Site, 
Proposed Administrative Order on Consent for the City of Portland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Goodman, Project Manager, Oregon 
Operations Office, Environmental Protection Agency, 811 SW Sixth 
Avenue, 3rd Floor, Portland, Oregon, 97204, (503) 326-3685.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The City's primary emergency and seasonal 
water supply is the Columbia South Shore Well Field in East Multnomah 
County. The City's well field is downgradient from known sources of 
hazardous substance groundwater contamination that are part of the 
Site. The City owns property at each of the well sites, as well as 
other property and easements throughout the well field area. Based on 
certifications and disclosures by the City, EPA and DEQ have concluded 
that the City has not disposed of or arranged for the disposal of 
hazardous substances at the Site. EPA and DEQ have also concluded that, 
although City pumping in 1987 may have caused the movement of 
contamination, the City has not contributed to a release of hazardous 
substances at the Site resulting in the incurrence of response costs by 
the government or other authorized parties. EPA and DEQ have a 
Memorandum of Agreement to coordinate their activities to require 
parties responsible for the contamination to cleanup the Site.
    The major provisions of the Consent Order require a cash payment 
from the City to DEQ, which is the lead Agency managing cleanup of the 
Site, to help defray past or future response costs at or in connection 
with the Site, including costs incurred in connection with negotiation 
and entry of this Consent Order, and a grant of access by the City to 
DEQ and EPA to the City property for all response activities to be 
taken at the Site; in exchange for legal protection for the City for 
cleanup liability at the Site in the form of a covenant not to sue from 
EPA and DEQ.
    Copies of the proposed Consent Order may be examined at the Oregon 
Operations Office, 811 SW Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor, Portland, Oregon, 
97204. A Copy of the proposed Consent Order may be obtained by mail or 
in person from the Oregon Operations Office.

    Authority: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (``CERCLA''), 42 
U.S.C. 9622(i).

Chuck Findley,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.
[FR Doc. 00-9236 Filed 4-13-00; 8:45 am]
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