[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 250 (Thursday, December 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82391-82392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33055]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Clean Water 
Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act

    In accordance with 28 CFR 50.7, 38 Fed. Reg. 19029, notice is 
hereby given that on December 8, 2000, a proposed consent decree in 
United States v. Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, Civil Action 
No. 00-2554 (JAF), was lodged with the United States District Court for 
the District of Puerto Rico. The complaint in this action alleged that 
the Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer Authority (``PRASA'') has been 
violating the Clean Water Act (``CWA''), 33 U.S.C. 1251, et seq., by 
discharging wastewater from 23 of its drinking water treatment plants 
in excess of the effluent limitations in the applicable National 
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (``NPDES'') permits or without 
possessing such permits. The complaint also alleged that PRASA failed 
or is failing to provide filtration of the surface waters it uses to 
supply drinking water to 20 of its public water systems in violation of 
the Surface Water Treatment Rule (``SWTR''), 40 CFR 141.70, et seq., 
and the Safe Drinking Water Act (``SDWA''), 42 U.S.C. 300f, et seq. The 
complaint sought injunctive relief and civil penalties.
    The Consent Decree requires PRASA to pay a total cash penalty of 
$550,000 to settle these violations of the CWA and the SDWA, as well as 
to implement two supplemental environmental projects (``SEPs''). The 
two SEPs involve the connection of two non-PRASA drinking water 
systems, which currently do not have filtered water, to one of PRASA's 
public water systems that receives filtered drinking water. The 
estimated cost of these two SEPs is $490,600.
    With regard to the PRASA drinking water treatment plants violating 
the CWA, the Consent Decree requires PRASA to achieve complicance in 
accordance with schedules for individual plants which vary from two to 
four years in duration. As to the PRASA public water systems that have 
not achieved compliance with the SWTR, the Consent Decree requires 
PRASA to remedy its noncompliance by constructing filtration 
facilities, connecting public water systems to other PRASA public water 
systems that have filtration plants, or installing groundwater well 
systems in lieu of the use of unfiltered surface water supplies. The 
completion dates in the SDWA compliance schedules for individual public 
water systems are in 2000-2002.
    The Department of Justice will receive comments relating to the 
proposed consent decree for a period of thirty (30) days from the date 
of this publication. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant 
Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, 
Department of Justice, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, DC 20044, and should 
refer to United States v. Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, 
D.J. Ref. 90-5-1-1-06179, 90-5-1-1-06475.
    The proposed consent decree may be examined at the office of the 
United States Attorney, Federal Office Building, Rm. 101, Carlos E. 
Chardon Avenue, Hato Rey, Puerto Rico 00918 and at the Region II office 
of the Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, New York, New 
York 10007. A copy of the proposed consent decree may also be obtained 
by mail from the Department of Justice Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 
7611, Washington, DC 20044. In requesting a copy, please enclose a 
check (there is a 25 cent per page reproduction cost) in the amount of

[[Page 82392]]

$19.75 payable to the ``Consent Decree Library.''

Bruce S. Gelber,
Chief, Section Environment & Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 00-33055 Filed 12-27-00; 8:45 am]
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