[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 145 (Friday, July 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 39199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18791]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Clean Air Act

    In accordance with Departmental policy, 28 CFR 50.7, notice is 
hereby given that on July 16, 2001, a proposed consent decree in United 
States v. Texaco California Inc. and Texaco Exploration and Production 
Inc., Civil Action No. CV-F-01-5923 REC DLB, was lodged with the United 
States District Court for the Eastern District of California.
    This consent decree represents a settlement of claims brought 
against Texaco California Inc. (``TCI'') and Texaco Exploration and 
Production Inc. (``TEPI'') Under section 113(b) of the Clean Air Act 
(``the Act''), 42 U.S.C. 7413(b), in a civil complaint filed 
concurrently with the lodging of the consent decree. The complaint 
alleges that TEPI violated the Act and the California State 
Implementation Plan (``SIP'') by removing vapor control equipment from 
5,000 wells at the Kern River Oil Field in violation of permit 
requirements; TEPI also failed to comply with SIP's lowest achievable 
emission rate (``LAER'') and offset requirements. In addition, the 
complaint alleges that TEPI violated permit requirements and failed to 
comply with LAER and offset requirements in operating an additional 700 
wells at the Kern River Oil Field. Finally, the complaint alleges that 
TCI violated SIP Rule 463.2 by failing to install control equipment at 
certain storage tanks in the Midway-Sunset Oil Field, and by failing to 
maintain records required by the Rule.
    Under the proposed settlement, TCI and TEPI will undertake 
significant injunctive measures designed to limit the emissions of 
volatile organic compounds from front line surge tanks, oil storage 
tanks, and shipping tanks at their oil fields. In addition, TCI and 
TEPI will pay a civil penalty of $568,000.
    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, PO Box 7611, U.S. 
Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, and shall refer to 
United States v. Texaco California Inc. and Texaco Exploration and 
Production Inc., DOJ Ref. 90-5-2-1-07326. A copy of all comments should 
also be sent to Robert D. Mullaney, U.S. Department of Justice, 
Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Enforcement 
Section, 301 Howard Street, Suite 870, San Francisco, CA 94105.
    The Consent Decree may be examined at the Office of the United 
States Attorney, 1130 ``O'' Street, Room 3654, Fresno, California, and 
at U.S. EPA Region 9, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, California. A 
copy of the Consent Decree may also be obtained by mail from the 
Consent Decree Library, PO Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, 
Washington, DC 20044-7611. In requesting a copy, please refer to United 
States v. Texaco California Inc. and Texaco Exploration and Production 
Inc., Civ. No. CV-F-01-5923 REC DLB (E.D. Cal.) DOJ Ref. 90-5-2-1-
07326, and enclose a check in the amount of $8.25 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost) payable to the Consent Decree Library.

Ellen M. Mahan,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 01-18791 Filed 7-26-01; 8:45 am]
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