[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 154 (Thursday, August 11, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46889-46890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15868]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of a Consent Decree Pursuant to the Clean Water 
Act

    Notice is hereby given that a proposed Consent Decree in United 
States of America, State of Maryland, Anacostia Watershed Society, 
Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central Atlantic States, Inc., 
Friends of Sligo Creek and Natural Resources Defense Council v. 
Washington Suburban Sanitation Commission, was lodged on July 26, 2005, 
with the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, 
Northern Division.
    In the United States' complaint filed in this matter, the United 
States alleges violations of Sections 301 and 504 of the Clean Water 
Act, 33 U.S.C. 1311, 1364, and in its complaint in intervention, 
Maryland alleges violations of Sections 9-322 and 9-323 of the Maryland 
Environment Article, and other State law, arising from unpermitted 
discharges of wastewater from WSSC's sanitary sewer collection system 
to various waters of the United States and the State. Four citizens 
groups--the Anacostia Watershed Society, the Audubon Naturalist Society 
of the Central Atlantic States, the Friends of Sligo Creek and the 
Natural Resources Defense Council also intervened as co-plaintiff, 
filing a complaint in intervention under the Clean Water Act's citizens 
suit provision. The proposed Consent Decree would resolve all of the 
claims alleged in the United States', Maryland's and the Citizens 
Groups' complaints, and would result in the performance of injunctive 
measures, the payment of a civil penalty of $1,100,000 (shared equally 
by the United States and Maryland), and the performance of three 
Supplemental Environmental Projects (``SEPs'') valued at no less than 
$4,400,000. WSSC has estimated that the injunctive measures, which 
include comprehensive inspection, rehabilitation, and repair 
requirements for sewer lines, pump stations, and other system 
components, and comprehensive changes in the operation and maintenance 
of its collection system will add an additional $200,000,000 to the 
funds already budgeted by WSSC for collection system

[[Page 46890]]

maintenance and repairs, over the 14-year schedule set forth in the 
consent decree.
    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 Acting 
Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, 
P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044 and 
should refer to United States et al. v. Washington Suburban Sanitary 
Commission, DJ No. 90-5-1-1-07360.
    The proposed Consent Decree may be examined at the office of the 
United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, 36 S. Charles 
Street, 4th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, and at the Region 3 Office of 
the Environmental Protection Agency, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 
19103. During the public comment period, the decree may also be 
examined on the following Department of Justice Web site, http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/open.html. A copy of the 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 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 $38.25 (25 cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the 
U.S. Treasury. The check should refer to United States et al. v. 
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, DJ No. 90-5-1-1-07360.

Robert D. Brook,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 05-15868 Filed 8-10-05; 8:45 am]
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