[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 80686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27537]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


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

    On November 4, 2016, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
consent decree with the United States District Court for the Southern 
District of Mississippi in the lawsuit entitled United States and 
Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality v. Estate of William 
Troy Burford and Sonford Products Corporation, Civil Action No. 3:16-
cv-00869-CWR-FKB.
    The consent decree would resolve claims under CERCLA Sec.  107(a), 
42 U.S.C. 9607(a), for recovery of response costs in connection with 
the Sonford Products Superfund Site in Flowood, Rankin County, 
Mississippi (``Site''). The consent decree also contains a covenant 
under CERCLA Sec.  106, 42 U.S.C. 9606, for damages related to injury 
to, destruction of, or loss of natural resources at the Site. The 
Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality is a co-plaintiff; the 
Consent Decree would resolve its claims under state law.
    The six-acre Site is located in Flowood, east of Jackson, 
Mississippi. Defendant Sonford Products Corporation operated a chemical 
processing facility at the Site from 1970 to 1985. It formulated 
pentachlorophenol (``PCP'') for wood preserving and saw mill 
operations. On April 18, 1985, approximately 2,000 gallons of PCP 
spilled from the Sonford Products facility into wetlands on the Site. 
Since that time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the 
Mississippi Department of Natural Resources have been responding to the 
release or threatened release of PCP and other hazardous substances at 
the Site. The cost of the response is expected to exceed $27 million.
    Defendant Sonford Products Corporation has been dissolved. 
Defendant Estate of William Troy Burford has no assets other than 
proceeds from insurance policies issued to Sonford Products. The 
proposed consent decree would allow for the recovery of insurance 
proceeds from three insurers. The total value of the settlement is 
$257,500. Of that amount, the Estate will receive $2,500 plus the 
reasonable fees and expenses associated with administration of the 
Estate. The United States will receive 95 percent of the remainder and 
the State of Mississippi will receive 5 percent.
    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 and Mississippi Commission on 
Environmental Quality v. Estate of William Troy Burford and Sonford 
Products Corporation, D.J. Ref. No. 90-11-3-10806. 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: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. 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 $7.00 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost) payable to the United States Treasury.

Henry Friedman,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-27537 Filed 11-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4410-15-P