[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 136 (Monday, July 16, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41800-41801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-17201]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Proposed Partial Consent Decree Under the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

    Notice is hereby given that on July 9, 2012, the United States, on 
behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA''), lodged a 
proposed Partial Consent Decree under the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended 
(``CERCLA''), 42 U.S.C. 9601, et seq., in United States and State of 
California v. Montrose Chemical Corp. of California, et al., Civil No. 
CV 90 3122-R (C.D. Cal.), relating to the Dual Site Groundwater 
Operable Unit of the Montrose and Del Amo Superfund Sites (``Dual 
Site''). The Dual Site is a comingled groundwater plume, primarily 
composed of chlorobenzene emanating from the Montrose Chemical Corp. of 
California former plant property, 20201 Normandie Avenue, Los Angeles, 
California (used for DDT manufacturing from 1947 to 1982), and several 
smaller plumes and pools of benzene from the neighboring Del Amo 
facility (used for synthetic rubber manufacturing from 1942 to 1975), 
as well as certain chlorinated solvents, including trichloroethylene, 
associated with historic industrial operations in the area.
    Under the proposed Partial Consent Decree, the Settling 
Defendants--Montrose Chemical Corp. of California, Bayer CropScience 
Inc., News Publishing Australia Limited, and Stauffer Management 
Company LLC--will perform a discrete component of the environmental 
remedy for the Dual Site selected by EPA in a 1999 record of decision 
(``ROD''), namely financing and performing construction of the primary 
groundwater treatment system for the Dual Site. Settling Defendants 
will also pay oversight costs for that work incurred by EPA and the 
California Department of Toxic Substances Control (``DTSC''). Operation 
and maintenance of the primary groundwater treatment system, once 
built, implementation of other remedial action elements in the ROD, and 
payment of EPA's and DTSC's other response costs are not addressed or 
resolved by this Partial Consent Decree, but instead will be pursued 
separately by EPA and DTSC. The United States and DTSC provide the 
Settling Defendants with covenants not to sue in the Partial Consent 
Decree limited to the specific work required by the Decree and the 
associated oversight costs, with all other matters relating to the 1999 
ROD for the Dual Site reserved for separate negotiations or 
proceedings.
    For thirty (30) days following the publication of this notice, the 
Department of Justice will receive 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. The comments should 
refer to United States and State of California v. Montrose Chemical 
Corp. of California, et al., Civil No. CV 90 3122-R (C.D. Cal.), D.J. 
Ref. 90-11-3-511/3.
    During the public comment period, the Consent Decree may be 
examined at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, Office 
of Regional Counsel, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, California 
94105. The 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 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. In requesting a 
copy from the Consent Decree Library, please enclose a check in the 
amount of

[[Page 41801]]

$92.00 (.25 cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the U.S. 
Treasury, or if by email or fax, forward a check in that amount to the 
Consent Decree Library at the stated address.

Robert E. Maher, Jr.,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2012-17201 Filed 7-13-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P