[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 190 (Monday, October 1, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49978-49979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24491]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


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

    In accordance with Departmental policy, 28 CFR 50.7, notice is 
hereby given that a proposed consent decree in United States v. 
Vafadari, et al., No. 96-143 PHX EHC (D. Ariz.) was lodged on September 
7, 2001, with the United States District Court for the District of 
Arizona. The consent decree settles claims under Sections 104, 107 and 
113 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act (``CERCLA''), 42 U.S.C. 9604, 9607 and 9613, for past and 
future response costs incurred and to be incurred in connection with 
the DCE Circuits Site (``DCE Site''), a subsite of the Indian Bend Wash 
Superfund NPL Site (the ``Indian Bend Wash site'' or the ``IBW site''), 
on the eastern and southern borders of Phoenix, Arizona. The consent 
decree will also resolve the United States claims pursuant to Section 
3304 and 3306 of the Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act of 1990, 28 
U.S.C. 3304 and 3306 with regard to certain allegedly fraudulent 
conveyances of real property.
    In 1998, the United States and Defendants entered into a Consent 
Decree providing that Defendants Rudi Vafadari (individually and as 
trustee of the Vafco Trust), Vafoc Trust, Arden Properties, Inc., 
Sohrab and Parvin Najmi would pay $328,500 to the United States in 
installments. Mr. Vafadari was also to pay a civil penalty of $10,000. 
On September 28, 1998, National Mortgage Co., a nonparty, sued Settling 
Defendants Arden Properties, Inc. and Vafadai in Arizona Superior Court 
to foreclose on a mortgage on the Site. See National Mortgage Co. v. 
Vafadari, et al., No. CV98-17608 (Az. Sup. Ct. filed Sept. 28, 1998.). 
On September 29, 1998m Arden Properties, Inc. filed a petition for 
bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. See In re Arden 
Properties, Inc., No. 98-12312-PHX-RGM (Bankr. D. Ariz.). Pursuant to 
Arden Properties, Inc.'s plan of reorganization, Arden was to pay 
National Mortgage $480,000 in installments over fifteen years and the 
United States the original Consent Decree amount of $338,500 in 
installments over eight years. Due to Arden Properties' bankruptcy and 
the automatic stay, the United States never sought entry of the first 
decree.
    The proposed consent decree replaces the previously lodged decree. 
As part of the settlement, National Mortgage has

[[Page 49979]]

dismissed its bankruptcy appeal, and the plan of reorganization has 
become final. Thus, the United States will receive the original 
settlement amount under the plan of reorganization. In addition, 
however, the United States will also receive an additional $15,000 over 
four years from all defendants (other than Arden Properties) without 
interest. Moreover, Mr. Vafadari will pay an additional $5,000 to 
settle the civil penalty claims against him.
    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. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant 
Attorney General for the Environmental and Natural Resources Division, 
Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. 20530, and should refer to 
United States v. Vafadari, et al., DOJ Ref.# 90-11-2-413C.
    The proposed consent decree may be examined at the office of the 
United States Attorney, District of Arizona, Room 4000, 230 First 
Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona and the Region 9 Office of the Environmental 
Protection Agency, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, California. A 
copy of the proposed consent decree may be obtained by mail from the 
Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, D.C. 20044-7611. In 
requesting a copy please refer to the referenced case and enclose a 
check in the amount of $5.75 (25 cents per page reproduction costs), 
payable to the Consent Decree Library.

Ellen M. Mahan,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 01-24491 Filed 9-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M