[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 1 (Thursday, January 2, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-33084]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


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

    Under 28 CFR 50.7 and 42 U.S.C. 9622(d), notice is hereby given 
that on December 19, 2002, a proposed Consent Decree (``Consent 
Decree'') in United States v. NL Industries, Inc. et al., Civil Action 
No. 91-CV-578-JLF, was lodged with the United States District Court for 
the Southern District of Illinois.
    The United States filed the above-referenced civil action under 
sections 106 and 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation and Liability Act, as amended (``CERCLA''), against NL 
Industries, Inc. (``NL'') and others in 1991. The complaint seeks 
injunctive relief to compel defendants to perform remedial actions at 
the NL Industries/Taracorp Superfund Site, as well as civil penalties 
and punitive damages for failure to comply with a 1990 administrative 
order issued pursuant to section 106 of CERCLA. In addition, the 
complaint seeks to recover response costs incurred by the United States 
in connection with the Site.
    Under the proposed consent decree. In additon, NL will pay $29.78 
million to the Superfund within 30 days of entry of the consent decree. 
In addition, NL will pay up to an additional $710,000 to the Superfund, 
depending on the outcome of an audit of certain response costs relating 
to the Site. Finally, the proposed consent decree requires NL to pay a 
penalty of $1 million for failure to comply with the 1990 
administrative order. Because another group of potentially responsible 
parties committed to complete the implementation of remedial action at 
the Site, the proposed consent decree does not include any requirements 
for NL to perform remedial action.
    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 of the Environment and Natural Resources Division, PO 
Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, and 
should refer to United States v. NL Industries, Inc., et al., D.J. Ref. 
90-11-3-608A.
    The Consent Decree may be examined at the Office of the United 
States Attorney, Nine Executive Drive, Fairview Heights, Illinois 
62208-1344, and at U.S. EPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, 
Chicago, IL 60604. 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 or by faxing a request to Tonia 
Fleetwood, fax no. (202) 514-0097, phone confirmation number (202) 514-
1547. In requesting a copy, please enclose a check in the amount of 
$8.00 (25 cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the U.S. 
Treasury.

William D. Brighton,
Assistant Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and 
Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 02-33084 Filed 12-31-02; 8:45 am]
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