[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 166 (Friday, August 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51830-51831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21779]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6857-6]


Notice of Proposed Settlement Under Section 122(h) of the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act; 
St. Louis River Site, Duluth, MN

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice; request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice of Settlement for recovery of past costs. In accordance 
with section 122(i)(1) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (CERCLA), notice is 
hereby given of a proposed administrative settlement under section 
122(h) of CERCLA concerning the St. Louis River Superfund Site, Duluth, 
Minnesota. The Agreement was signed by the Director, Superfund 
Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, (U.S. EPA) on 
August 3, 2000. Subject to review by the public pursuant to this 
Notice, the agreement was approved by the United States Department of 
Justice on July 31, 2000. Below are listed the parties who have 
executed binding certifications of their consent to participate in the 
settlement: Domtar, Inc.; Honeywell International, Inc.; and The 
Interlake Corporation. These parties will pay a total of $833,000 in a 
settlement payment for past response costs under the agreement subject 
to the contingency that U.S. EPA may elect not to complete the 
settlement based on matters brought to its attention during the public 
comment period established by this Notice. This amount represents 
approximately ninety percent of past response costs U.S. EPA and the 
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry have expended at the 
St. Louis River Superfund Site as of January 31, 2000.
    U.S. EPA is authorized to enter into this agreement under the 
authority of section 122(h) and 107 of CERCLA. Section 122(h) 
authorizes settlements with potentially responsible parties for the 
recovery of past costs expended by the Agency where these claims have 
not been referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for further action.
    U.S. EPA will receive written comments relating to this agreement 
for thirty days from the date of publication of this notice. The Agency 
will consider all comments received and may withdraw its consent to the 
settlement if comments received disclose facts or considerations which 
indicate that the

[[Page 51831]]

settlement is inappropriate, improper, or inadequate. U.S. EPA's 
response to any comments will be available for public inspection at the 
Superfund Records Center, located at 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Seventh 
Floor, Chicago, Illinois.

DATES: Comments must be provided on or before September 25, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The proposed settlement and additional background 
information relating to the settlement are available for public 
inspection at the Superfund Records Center located at 77 West Jackson 
Boulevard, Seventh Floor, Chicago, Illinois. A copy of the proposed 
settlement may be obtained from the Superfund Records Center located at 
77 West Jackson Boulevard, Seventh Floor, Chicago, Illinois. Comments 
should be addressed to Thomas J. Kennedy, Senior Attorney, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Office of Regional Counsel, 
77 West Jackson Boulevard (C-14J), Chicago, Illinois 60604, and should 
refer to: In the Matter of: St. Louis River Superfund Site in Duluth, 
Minnesota, and U.S. EPA Docket No. V-W-'00-C-604.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas J. Kennedy, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Region 5, Office of Regional Counsel, 77 West 
Jackson Boulevard (C-14J), Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 886-0708.

    Authority: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 9601-
9675.

William E. Muno,
Director, Superfund Division, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 00-21779 Filed 8-24-00; 8:45 am]
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