[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 104 (Friday, May 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32545-32546]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-13476]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decrees Under the Lead-Based Paint 
Hazard Act

    Notice is hereby given that on May 8, 2003, a proposed consent 
decree in United States v. SK Management Co., Civil Action No. 03-3225 
RMT (RCx), and a proposed consent decree in United States v. Westside 
Rehab Corp., et al., Civil Action No. 03-3226 JFW (SHx), were lodged 
with the United States District Court for the Central District of 
California.
    The consent decrees settle claims against management agents and 
owners of several residential apartment buildings principally in 
southern California, which were brought on behalf of the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency 
under the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act 42 U.S.C. 
4851 et seq. (``Lead Hazard Reduction Act''). The United States alleged 
in each of its complaints that the defendants failed to provide 
information to tenants concerning lead-based paint hazards, and failed 
to disclose to tenants the presence of any known lead-based paint or 
any known lead-based paint hazards.
    Under the Westside consent decree, defendants have agreed to 
provide the required notice and disclosures, to perform inspections at 
the buildings for the presence of lead-based paint, and to perform 
lead-based paint abatement. In addition, the Westside defendants will 
pay a penalty of $17,500 to the United States and spend $35,000 toward 
research on the health impacts of lead in the community, particularly 
children. Under the SK Management decree, the defendant has agreed to 
provide the required notice and disclosures, to perform inspections at 
the buildings for the presence of lead-based paint, and to perform 
lead-based paint abatement. In

[[Page 32546]]

addition, the SK defendant will pay a penalty of $10,500 to the United 
States and will spend $25,000 toward services to address the hazards 
arising from lead-based paint, including services such as blood-lead 
screenings, clinical consultations, medical surveillance and risk 
communication, and educational outreach.
    The Department of Justice will receive for a period of thirty (30) 
days from the date of this publication comments relating to the consent 
decrees. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General 
of the Environment and Natural Resources Division, Department of 
Justice, PO Box 7611, Washington, DC 20044-7611, and should refer to 
United States v. Westside Rehab Corp., et al., D.J. 90-5-1-1-
07223, or United States v. SK Management Co., D.J. 90-5-1-1-
07223/2.
    The proposed consent decrees may be examined at the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard 
Control, attention: Tara Jordan, 490 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Room 3206, 
Washington, DC 20410, (202) 755-1785, ext. 157; at the office of the 
United States Attorney for the Central District of California, Federal 
Building Room 7516, 300 North Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, 
California 90012, and at U.S. EPA Region 9, 75 Hawthorne Street, San 
Francisco, California 94105. During the public comment period, the 
consent decrees may also be examined on the following Department of 
Justice Web site, http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/open.html. Copies of the 
consent decrees 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 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 please refer to the 
referenced case and enclose a check in the amount of $8.75 (25 cents 
per page reproduction costs), payable to the U.S. Treasury for the 
consent decree in United States v. Westside Rehab Corp., et al., D.J. 
90-5-1-1-07223, and $8.25 (25 cents per page reproduction 
costs), payable to the U.S. Treasury, for the consent decree in United 
States v. SK Management Co., D.J. 90-5-1-1-07223/2.

Karen Dworkin,
Assistant Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and 
Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 03-13476 Filed 5-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M