[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11158-11159]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4368]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Clean 
Water Act

    Notice is hereby given that on February 17, 2012, a proposed 
Consent Decree in In Re: Oil Spill by the Oil Rig ``Deepwater Horizon'' 
in the Gulf of Mexico, on April 20, 2010, MDL 2179, was lodged with the 
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
    In this action the United States sought, in part, civil penalties 
under Section 311(b) of the Clean Water Act,

[[Page 11159]]

33 U.S.C. 1321(b), against multiple parties, including MOEX Offshore 
2007 LLC (``MOEX''), in connection with the discharge of oil into the 
Gulf of Mexico resulting from the April 20, 2010 blowout of the Macondo 
well and explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. The Complaint 
alleges that MOEX is liable for civil penalties as a co-lessee of the 
Macondo well and as co-owner of the well casing and equipment. Pursuant 
to the proposed Consent Decree, MOEX will pay $70 million in civil 
penalties, of which $45 million will go to the United States and the 
remaining $25 million will be divided among the states of Louisiana, 
Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Texas. The proposed Consent Decree 
also requires MOEX to perform supplemental environmental projects 
valued at $20 million in the Gulf States proximate to the Gulf of 
Mexico. The proposed Consent Decree does not resolve all claims in the 
Complaint alleged against MOEX, nor does it resolve claims alleged in 
the Complaint against other parties.
    The Department of Justice will receive for a period of thirty (30) 
days from the date of this publication comments relating to the Consent 
Decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, 
Environment and Natural Resources Division, and either emailed to 
[email protected] or mailed to P.O. Box 7611, U.S. 
Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, and should refer to 
In Re: Oil Spill by the Oil Rig ``Deepwater Horizon'' in the Gulf of 
Mexico, on April 20, 2010, MDL 2179, D.J. Ref. 90-5-1-1-10026. During 
the public comment period, the Consent Decree may be examined on the 
following Department of Justice Web site: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html. A copy of the 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 
emailing a request to ``Consent Decree Copy'' 
([email protected]), fax no. (202) 514-0097, phone confirmation 
number (202) 514-5271. If requesting a copy from the Consent Decree 
Library by mail, please enclose a check in the amount of $13.00 (25 
cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the U.S. Treasury or, if 
requesting by fax, forward a check in that amount to the Consent Decree 
Library at the address given above.

Maureen M. Katz,
Assistant Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and 
Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2012-4368 Filed 2-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P