[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 2, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 117]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33384]



[[Page 117]]

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

    Notice is hereby given that a proposed consent decree in United 
States, et al. v. Montrose Chemical Corporation of California, et al., 
No. CV 90-3122-R (C.D. Cal), was lodged on December 19, 2000 with the 
United States District Court for the Central District of California. 
The consent decree resolves claims under Section 107 of the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 
of 1980, 42 U.S.C. 9607, as amended, brought against defendants 
Montrose Chemical Corporation of California (``Montrose''), Aventis 
CropScience USA, Inc. (``Aventis''), Chris-Craft Industries, Inc. 
(``Chris-Craft''), and Atkemix Thirty Seven, Inc. (``Atkemix-37'') 
(Collectively, the ``DDT Defendants''), for damages for injuries to 
natural resources caused by releases of DDT from the Montrose plant to 
the Pacific Ocean, and associated contamination of sediments on the 
Palos Verdes shelf in the vicinity of Los Angeles, California, and for 
response costs incurred and to be incurred by the United States 
Environmental Protection Agency in connection with responding to the 
release and threatened release of hazardous substances at the same 
area.
    The proposed consent decree provides that the DDT Defendants will 
pay $73 million to resolve their liability to the United States and 
State of California for natural resource damages and response costs as 
described above. The consent decree includes a covenant not to sue by 
the United States under Sections 106 and 107 of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, 42 
U.S.C. 9606 and 9607, and under Section 7003 of the Resource 
Conservation and Recovery Act (``RCRA''), 42 U.S.C. 6973.
    The Department of Justice will receive, for a period of thirty (30) 
days from the date of this publication, comments relating to the 
proposed consent decree. Commenters may request an opportunity for a 
public meeting in the affected area, in accordance with Section 7003(d) 
of the RCRA. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney 
General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division, Department 
of Justice, Washington, D.C. 20530, and should refer to United States, 
et al. v. Montrose Chemical Corporation of California, et al., No. CV 
90-3122-R (C.D. Cal), DOJ Ref. #90-11-3-159 and DOJ Ref. #90-11-3-511.
    The proposed consent decree may be examined at the office of the 
United States Attorney, Central District of California, Federal 
Building, 300 North Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012; the 
Region IX Office of the Environmental Protection Agency, 75 Hawthorne 
Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. A copy of the proposed consent decree 
may be obtained by mail from the Consent Decree Library, Post Office 
Box 7611, Washington, D.C. 20044. In requesting copies please refer to 
the referenced case and enclose a check in the amount of $13.50 (25 
cents per page reproduction costs), payable to the Consent Decree 
Library.

Bruce Gelber,
Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural 
Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 00-33384 Filed 12-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M