[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4231-4232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1812]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of the Consent Decree Between the United States 
of America and Olympic Pipe Line Company Pursuant to the Clean Water 
Act

    Pursuant to 28 CFR 50.7, notice is hereby given that on January 17, 
2003, a proposed Consent Decree Between the United States of America 
and Olympic

[[Page 4232]]

Pipe Line Company (Olympic Consent Decree), Civil Action No. CV02-1178R 
was lodged with the United States District Court for the Western 
District of Washington.
    In this case, the United States sought injunctive relief and civil 
penalties for the discharge of gasoline into Hanna and Whatcom Creeks 
in Bellingham, Washington, navigable waters of the United States, and 
their adjoining shorelines, beginning on June 10, 1999, in violation of 
sections 301(a) and 311(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1311(a) 
and 1321(b)(3). The Olympic Consent Decree includes a civil penalty of 
$2.5 million and comprehensive injunctive relief designed to address 
all of the known causes of the gasoline spill beginning on June 10, 
1999 and covering the entire 400-mile Olympic pipeline system from 
which the spill occurred. The spill prevention and mitigation program 
requires Olympic to pay an independent contractor approved by the 
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to monitor 
Olympic's implementation of the program, and to report to EPA. The 
program, which will last a minimum of five years, includes the 
following requirements:
    [sbull] Internal inspections of pipeline using ``Smart PIG'' 
technology (devices that travel through pipeline to scan for defects);
    [sbull] Preventive maintenance and repair of pipeline and valve 
defects;
    [sbull] Monitoring of construction activities near the pipelines;
    [sbull] Frequent pipeline surveys;
    [sbull] Operator training; and
    [sbull] A Management of Change Program requiring Olympic to analyze 
changes in its pipeline system for the effect of the changes on the 
operations and safety of the entire pipeline system.
    The Department of Justice will receive for a period of 30 days from 
the date of this publication comments relating to the Olympic Consent 
Decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, 
Environment and Natural Resources Division, P.O. Box 7611, U.S. 
Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, and should refer to 
United States v. Shell Pipeline Co. LP fka Equilon Pipeline Co. LLC and 
Olympic Pipeline Co., No. CV02-1178R (W.D. Wash.) and D.J. Reference 
No. 90-5-1-1-06967.
    The Olympic Consent Decree may be examined at the Office of the 
United States Attorney, Western District of Washington, 601 Union 
Street, 50100 Two Union Square, Seattle, Washington 98101-3903, and at 
U.S. EPA Region X, 1200 6th Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101. During 
the public comment period, the Olympic Consent Decree, may also be 
examined on the following Department of Justice Web site, http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/open.html. A copy of the Olympic Consent Decree also 
may be obtained by mail from the Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611, 
U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611 or by faxing or 
e-mailing a request to Tonia Fleetwood ([email protected]), fax 
no. (202) 514-0097, phone confirmation number (202) 514-1547. When 
requesting a copy from the Consent Decree Library, please enclose a 
check in the amount of $57.25 (25 cents per page reproduction cost) 
payable to the U.S. Treasury.
    Alternatively, you may request a copy of the Olympic Consent Decree 
without the attached exhibits by enclosing a check in the amount of 
$12.75 (25 cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the U.S. 
Treasury.

Robert E. Maher, Jr.,
Assistant Chief, Environmental Enforcement Service, Environment and 
Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 03-1812 Filed 1-27-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M