[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 80 (Monday, April 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 23289]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09665]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


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

    On April, 22, 2015, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the District 
of Colorado in the lawsuit entitled United States and State of Colorado 
v. Noble Energy, Inc., Civil Action No. 1:15-cv-00841.
    The case concerns alleged violations of the Clean Air Act and 
provisions of Colorado's federally approved State Implementation Plan 
relating to emissions of volatile organic compounds (``VOC'') from 
condensate storage tanks that are, or were until recently, part of 
Noble's oil and natural gas production operations in the Denver-
Julesburg Basin in Boulder, Broomfield, and Weld counties, Colorado, a 
non-attainment area for ground level ozone known as the ``8-hour Ozone 
Control Area.'' At issue are leaks of vapors from tanks storing 
hydrocarbon liquids known as ``pressurized liquids'' or ``condensate'' 
which are separated from natural gas near the wellhead. The settlement 
covers 3,472 tank batteries (referred to in the Consent Decree as 
``Tank Systems'') which comprise all of Noble's condensate storage 
tanks in the nonattainment area equipped with Vapor Control Systems 
pursuant to Colorado Air Quality Control Regulation Number 7 to achieve 
required system-wide emission reductions. Under the terms of the 
Consent Decree Noble is required to determine the potential peak flow 
of vapors from each Tank System, conduct an engineering evaluation of 
the capacity of each Vapor Control System, undertake corrective actions 
as needed, and verify the adequacy of the corrective actions at all of 
the locations covered by the Decree. Noble will complete two 
Supplemental Environmental Projects (``SEPs'') at a cost of no less 
than $2 million. The first SEP, titled ``Pressurized Hydrocarbon 
Liquids and Analysis SEP,'' will involve a scientific study of the 
reliability, and ways to improve the reliability, of methods used to 
sample and analyze pressurized liquids/condensate at a cost of at least 
$1 million. A report of the study will be prepared and posted on 
Noble's Web site. The second SEP, titled ``Wood Burning Appliance 
Changeout SEP,'' will involve replacing or retrofitting inefficient, 
higher polluting wood-burning or coal appliances in the non-attainment 
area at a cost of at least $1 million. Noble will also spend at least 
$4.5 million to complete five environmental mitigation projects. Noble 
will pay a $4.95 million civil penalty to the United States and 
Colorado.
    The publication of this notice opens a period for public comment on 
the Consent Decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant 
Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, and 
should refer to United States and State of Colorado v. Noble Energy, 
Inc., D.J. Ref. No. 90-5-2-1-10811. 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 e-mail...........................  [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 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 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 $39.75 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost) payable to the United States Treasury for a copy of 
the Consent Decree without appendices. For a paper copy without the 
appendices, the cost is $22.00.

Robert Brook,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-09665 Filed 4-24-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4410-15-P