[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 54780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23765]



[[Page 54780]]

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


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

    On October 17, 2018, the Department of Justice lodged a Consent 
Decree agreed to with defendant Exxon Mobil Corporation 
(``ExxonMobil'') in the United States District Court for the Northern 
District of West Virginia. The Consent Decree resolves the United 
States' claims under Sections 106 and 107 of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (``CERCLA''), 
42 U.S.C. 9606 and 9607, for the performance of response actions and 
for payment of response costs incurred in connection with the release 
of hazardous substances at the Sharon Steel Corp/Fairmont Coke Works 
Superfund Site, located in Fairmont, West Virginia. The Consent Decree 
also resolves related claims brought by the State of West Virginia, 
through the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. The 
Complaint filed concurrently with the Consent Decree alleges that 
ExxonMobil, through a predecessor company, owned and operated a 
production facility at the Site that processed coal to produce coke. 
The by-products produced from the coke-making process included coal 
tar, phenol, ammonium sulfate, benzene, toluene, and xylene. The 
production waste was disposed of in on-site landfills, sludge ponds, 
and waste piles. The proposed Consent Decree obligates Exxon to pay for 
all future EPA and WVDEP response cost, and reimburse $250,000 of the 
United States' past response costs. ExxonMobil will perform the work at 
the Site pursuant to the proposed Consent Decree.
    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 of America, et al v. Exxon Mobil 
Corporation, Civil Action No. 1:18-cv-00195 (N.D. W.Va.), DOJ number 
90-11-3-06663/2. All comments must be submitted no later than 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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    Under Section 7003(d) of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6973(d), a commenter may 
request an opportunity for a public meeting in the affected area.
    During the public comment period, the Consent Decree may be 
examined and downloaded at this Justice Department website: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. 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 $59.25 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost) payable to the United States Treasury. For a paper 
copy without the exhibits and signature pages, the cost is $10.50.

Jeffrey Sands,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2018-23765 Filed 10-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4410-15-P