[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 152 (Thursday, August 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 47089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20072]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Oil Pollution Act

    In accordance with Departmental Policy, 28 CFR 50.7,38 FR 19029, 
notice is hereby given that a proposed consent decree in United States 
and State of Louisiana v. Marine Oil Trade 3, Ltd. and Ermis Maritime 
Corp., Civ. No. 03-2030, Section L, DOJ 90-5-1-1-07673, was 
lodged in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of 
Louisiana on July 16, 2003. The Consent Decree resolves the liability 
of the named defendants to the United States and the State of Louisiana 
for natural resource damages with respect to the Westchester Oil Spill, 
pursuant to the Oil Production Act of 1990 (OPA), 33 U.S.C. 2702(b), 
and section 2480 of the Lousiana Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act 
(OSPRA), La. Rev. Stat. 30:2480. The claims arise from an oil spill in 
the Mississippi River at Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, on November 28, 
2000, that resulted from an accident to the vessel WESTCHESTER. The 
United States and the State share trusteeship of the injured resources 
and are coordinating restoration efforts.
    Under the proposed Consent Decree, the Settlers will reimburse the 
state and federal trustees for 100% of unrecovered natural resource 
damage assessment costs and future monitoring costs. Also, they shall 
complete Restoration Projects to compensate the trustees for the 
natural resource damages. The Restoration Projects to be performed are 
the Splay Marsh Restoration Project and the Boat Dock Restoration 
Project.
    The Damage 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, Environment and Natural Resources Division, P.O. Box 7611, 
U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, and should refer 
to the United States and State of Louisiana v. Marine Oil Trader 3, 
Ltd. and Ermis Maritime Corp., DOJ 90-5-1-1-07673. The 
proposed Consent Decree may be examined at the Office of the United 
States Attorney, Eastern District of Louisiana, 501 Magazine Street, 
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130, and at U.S. EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross 
Avenue, Suite 1200, Dallas, Texas, 75202. During the public comment 
period, the proposed 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 proposed Consent Decree 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 $29.75 (25 cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the 
U.S. Treasury.

Thomas Mariani,
Assistant Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and 
Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 03-20072 Filed 8-06-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M