[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 81 (Friday, April 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 24778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09896]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


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

    On April 16, 2013, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the Western 
District of Washington in the lawsuit entitled United States and the 
State of Washington v. City of Seattle, Washington, Civil Action No. 
2:13-cv-00678.
    In this action the United States sought civil penalties and 
injunctive relief for violations of the Clean Water Act (``CWA''), 33 
U.S.C. 1251 et seq., in connection with the City of Seattle, Washington 
(``City'') operation of its sewer system in the Seattle area. The 
proposed consent decree requires the City to implement extensive 
injunctive relief to expand and rehabilitate both its combined sewer 
system and its separated sewer system to reduce or eliminate unlawful 
overflows of sewage into the Puget Sound, Lake Washington, Union Lake, 
and various lakes, bays, and streams in the Seattle area, as well as 
unpermitted discharges to residential basements and from manholes or 
other discharge points within the City's sewer system. The City will 
also pay a total of $350,000.00 in civil penalties: $175,000 to the 
United States and $175,000 to the State of Washington.
    The publication of this notice opens a period for public comment on 
the proposed Consent Decree. Comments should be addressed to the 
Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, 
and should refer to United States v. City of Seattle, Washington, D.J. 
Ref. No. 90-5-1-1-10066. All comments must be submitted no later than 
thirty (30) days after the publication date of this notice. Comments 
may be submitted either by email or by mail:

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        To submit comments:                     Send them to:
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By email...........................  [email protected].
By mail............................  Assistant Attorney General, U.S.
                                      DOJ--ENRD, P.O. Box 7611,
                                      Washington, DC 20044-7611.
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    During the public comment period, the proposed Consent Decree may 
be examined and downloaded at this Justice Department Web site: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html. We will provide a paper copy 
of the proposed Consent Decree upon written request and payment of 
reproduction costs. Please mail your request and payment to: Consent 
Decree Library, U.S. DOJ--ENRD, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, DC 20044-
7611.
    Please enclose a check or money order for $18.75 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost) payable to the United States Treasury.

Robert E. Maher, Jr.,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2013-09896 Filed 4-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P