[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 160 (Friday, August 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43258-43259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20791]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7034-7]


(PRC Patterson Superfund Removal Site); Notice of Proposed 
Administrative Settlement Pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as Amended by the Superfund 
Amendments and Reauthorization Act

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice, request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 122(i) of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended by 
the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Action (``CERCLA''), 42 
U.S.C. 9622(i), notice is hereby given of an proposed Administrative 
Order on Consent (``AOC,'' Region 9 Docket No. 2000-15) pursuant to 
Section 122(h) of CERCLA concerning the PRC Patterson Superfund Removal 
Site (the ``Site''), located in Patterson, California. The respondents 
to the AOC include all parties that participated or cooperated in the 
removal action to the satisfaction of EPA, except Chevron U.S.A. Inc. 
and Atlantic Richfield Company, which are negotiating individual 
settlements in recognition of their distinct commitments at the Site. 
Through the proposed AOC the respondents will complete the removal 
action addressing certain above ground storage tanks at the Site. The 
AOC provides the respondents with a covenant not to sue and 
contribution protection for matters addressed in the AOC. To date, EPA 
has incurred approximately $900,000.00 in response costs related to the 
Site; however, EPA's response costs incurred at the Site are less than 
twenty-five percent (25%) of the total costs of the response action at 
the Site. EPA is waiving all claims for recovery of its response costs 
against the respondents consistent with EPA's established policy 
regarding allocation of ``orphan shares,'' which are those of 
potentially responsible parties that are insolvent or defunct. EPA 
anticipates recovery of all or a significant portion of its costs from 
other potentially responsible parties at the Site. For thirty (30) days 
following the date of publication of this Notice, the Agency will 
receive written comments relating to the proposed AOC. The Agency's 
response to any comments received will be available for public 
inspection at EPA's Region IX offices, located at 75 Hawthorne Street, 
San Francisco, California 94105.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 17, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The proposed AOC may be obtained from Danielle Carr, Hearing 
Clerk, telephone (415) 744-1389. Comments regarding the proposed AOC 
should be addressed to Danielle Carr (ORC-3) at 75 Hawthorne Street, 
San Francisco, California 94105, and should reference the PRC Patterson 
Superfund Removal Site, and Region IX Docket No. 2000-15.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J. Andrew Helmlinger, Office of 
Regional Counsel, (415) 744-1325, U.S.

[[Page 43259]]

Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, 75 Hawthorne Street, San 
Francisco, CA 94105.

    Dated: August 7, 2001.
Kathy Moore,
Acting Director, Superfund Division.
[FR Doc. 01-20791 Filed 8-16-01; 8:45 am]
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