[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 11, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 6920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2788]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Clean Water Act

    Notice is hereby given that on February 5, 2009, a proposed consent 
decree in United States v. Patriot Coal Corp. et al., Civil Action No. 
2:09-cv-0099, was lodged with the United States District Court for the 
Southern District of West Virginia.
    The proposed Consent Decree will resolve claims alleged in this 
action by the United States and the State of West Virginia against 
Patriot Coal Corporation et al. for the discharge of pollutants into 
waters of the United States in violation of Section 301 of the Act, 33 
U.S.C. 1311, and in violation of the conditions and limitations of 
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (``NPDES'') permits 
issued by the State pursuant to Section 402 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. 1342, 
and W. Va. Code 22-11-8. Under the proposed Consent Decree, Defendants 
will perform injunctive relief including: Hiring a third-party 
consultant to develop and implement a company-wide compliance-focused 
environmental management system, creating a database to track 
information relevant to compliance efforts, conducting regular internal 
and third-party environmental compliance audits, implementing a system 
of tiered response actions for any potential future violations, 
conducting annual training for all employees and contractors with 
environmental responsibilities and/or responsibilities under the 
consent decree, and implementing stream restoration projects. In 
addition, Patriot will pay a civil penalty of $6.5 million.
    The Department of Justice will accept comments relating to the 
proposed consent decree for a period of thirty (30) days from the date 
of publication of this notice. Comments should be addressed to the 
Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, 
and mailed either electronically to [email protected] or in 
hard copy to P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 
20044-7611. Comments should refer to United States v. Patriot Coal 
Corp. et al., Civil No. 2:09-cv-0099 (S.D.W.Va.) and D.J. Reference No. 
90-5-1-1-09476.
    The proposed consent decree may be examined at: (1) the Office of 
the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, 
300 Virginia Street, East, Charleston, WV 25301; and (2) United States 
Environmental Protection Agency (Region 3), 1650 Arch Street, 
Philadelphia, PA 19103. During the comment period, the proposed consent 
decree may also be examined on the following Department of Justice Web 
site: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decree.html.
    A copy of the proposed consent decree may also be obtained by mail 
from the Department of Justice Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611, 
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 refer to the referenced case and D.J. 
Reference No. 90-5-1-1-09476, and enclose a check in the amount of 
$32.5 for the consent decree (130 pages at 25 cents per page 
reproduction costs), made payable to the U.S. Treasury.

Robert Brook,
Assistant Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and 
Natural Resources Division.
 [FR Doc. E9-2788 Filed 2-10-09; 8:45 am]
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