[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 116 (Monday, June 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 34040]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-13467]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Public Comment Period for Proposed Clean Water Act 
Consent Decree

    Notice is hereby given that, for a period of 30 days, the United 
States will receive public comments on a proposed Consent Decree in 
United States v. Valero Refining-Texas, L.P. (``Valero Consent 
Decree'') (Civil Action No. 2:08-cv-00190), which was lodged with the 
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas on June 
10, 2008.
    This proposed Consent Decree was lodged simultaneously with the 
Complaint in this Clean Water Act case against Valero Refining-Texas, 
L.P. (``Valero''). The Complaint alleges that Valero is civilly liable 
for violation of the Clean Water Act (``CWA''), 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq., 
as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (``OPA''), 33 U.S.C. 2701 
et seq. The Complaint seeks civil penalties for the discharge of oil 
into navigable waters of the United States or adjoining shorelines from 
the Valero Refinery West Plant in Corpus Christi, Texas. In particular, 
the Complaint alleges that at least 3,400 barrels of oil were 
discharged from a Valero containment berm located on the edge of the 
Ship Channel on June 1, 2006. Valero already has removed the 
containment berm and associated aboveground storage tank from the edge 
of the Ship Channel.
    Under the settlement, Valero will pay a civil penalty of 
$1,650,000. In addition, the settlement requires Valero to implement a 
Supplemental Environmental Project (``SEP'') estimated at $300,000. The 
SEP involves the design and construction of an emergency response boat 
ramp near Public Oil Dock 11 at Avery Point on the Corpus Christi Ship 
Channel. The new boat ramp is intended to provide an access point for 
larger emergency response boats to the Ship Channel, which will enhance 
emergency response efforts to protect human health and the environment 
on and along the water body that was affected by the spill.
    Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, 
Environment and Natural Resources Division, and may be submitted to: 
P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, 
or via e-mail to [email protected], and should refer to 
United States v. Valero Refining-Texas, L.P., D.J. Ref. 90-5-1-1-09245.
    The Consent Decree may be examined at the Office of the United 
States Attorney, Southern District of Texas, One Shoreline Plaza, South 
Tower, 800 N. Shoreline Blvd., Suite 500, Corpus Christi, Texas. During 
the public comment period the Valero Consent Decree may also be 
examined on the following Department of Justice Web site: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html. A copy of the Valero 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. In requesting a copy from the Consent Decree 
Library, please enclose a check in the amount of $7.00 (25 cents per 
page reproduction cost) payable to the U.S. Treasury.

Maureen M. Katz,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
 [FR Doc. E8-13467 Filed 6-13-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P