[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6180-6181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2833]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Under the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the 
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

    Notice is hereby given that on January 21, 2003, a proposed 
Settlement Agreement in In re: Laclede Steel Company, Case No. 01-
48321-399 was lodged with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the 
Eastern District of Missouri.
    In this action the United States sought future response costs 
associated with the release or threatened release of hazardous 
substances at Laclede's Alton, Illinois mill and injunctive relief in 
the form of compliance with all Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 
(``RCRA'') corrective action and closure and post-closure care

[[Page 6181]]

requirements applicable to the facility. The Settlement Agreement 
provides that Laclede will sell the Facility to Alton Steel Company for 
$1,000,000. These funds will be placed in a trust to be used by Alton 
Steel to perform clean-up activities at the site according to an agreed 
order of priorities and under the supervision of the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Laclede 
will also pay the United States $100,000 to be placed in a Superfund 
special account.
    Under the Settlement Agreement, Laclede will transfer its RCRA part 
B permit (``RCRA Permit'') to Alton Steel, and Alton Steel will perform 
closure and corrective action work and take other steps required in the 
Agreement to bring the Alton mill back into compliance with the RCRA 
Permit. Alton Steel will receive a covenant not to sue under CERCLA 
Sections 106 and 107 and RCRA Section 7003 for ``existing 
contamination'' at the Site. Alton Steel will also receive a covenant 
not to sue under RCRA Section 3008(h) so long as it remains in 
compliance with the compliance plan. Finally, Laclede will assign its 
rights under any applicable insurance policies to Alton Steel, and 
Alton Steel will seek to recover under such policies, with the proceeds 
to be used in remediating the Facility.
    The Department of Justice will receive for a period of thirty (30) 
days from the date of this publication comments relating to the 
Settlement Agreement. 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 In re: Laclede Steel Company, D.J. Ref. 90-7-1-07324/1. 
Commenters may request an opportunity for a public meeting in the 
affected area, in accordance with Section 7003(d) of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 
6973(d).
    The Settlement Agreement may be examined at the Office of the 
United States Attorney, 111 South 10th Street, 20th Floor, St. Louis, 
Missouri, and at U.S. EPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, 
IL 60604. A copy of the Settlement Agreement may also 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. In requesting a copy from the 
Consent Decree Library, please enclose a check in the amount of $15.00 
(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. 03-2833 Filed 2-5-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M