[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 144 (Friday, July 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36125-36126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15843]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree and Release of Draft 
Restoration Plan Under The Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act

    On July 18, 2019, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
consent decree with the United States District Court for the Middle 
District of North Carolina in the lawsuit entitled United States, the 
State of North Carolina, and the Commonwealth of Virginia v. Duke 
Energy Carolinas, LLC, Civil Action No. 1:19-cv-00707.
    The settlement resolves civil claims by the United States, the 
State of North Carolina, and the Commonwealth of Virginia (collectively 
the ``Trustees'') against Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (``Duke Energy'') 
under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act (``CERCLA'') for injury to, impairment of, destruction 
of, and loss of use of natural resources in the Dan River in North 
Carolina and Virginia as a result of a coal ash spill from Duke 
Energy's Dan River Steam Station near Eden, Rockingham County, North 
Carolina on February 2, 2014 (the ``Release). Under the proposed 
Consent

[[Page 36126]]

Decree, Duke Energy will restore, replace, rehabilitate, or acquire the 
equivalent of those resources injured by the Release and compensate the 
public for lost recreational opportunities, as proposed in the draft 
Restoration Plan. In addition, Duke Energy agrees to pay $57,310 to the 
Trustees for restoration planning and oversight costs. Duke Energy will 
receive from the Trustees a covenant not to sue for natural resource 
damages under CERCLA, the Clean Water Act, and applicable state law.
    In accordance with CERCLA, the Trustees have also written a draft 
Restoration Plan that describes proposed alternatives for restoring the 
natural resources and natural resource services injured by the Release. 
The four preferred restoration alternatives selected by the Trustees in 
the draft Restoration Plan are: (1) Abreu Grogan Park improvements; (2) 
establishment of public boat launch facilities on the Dan River; (3) 
Pigg River Power Dam removal (benefiting the endangered Roanoke 
logperch); and (4) Mayo River land conservation. These are the same 
projects that Duke Energy agrees to perform in the Consent Decree.
    The publication of this notice opens a period for public comment on 
the proposed Consent Decree and draft Restoration Plan. Comments on the 
proposed Consent Decree should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney 
General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, and should refer 
to United States, the State of North Carolina, and the Commonwealth of 
Virginia v. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, D.J. Ref. No. 90-5-1-1-11057/2. 
All comments must be submitted no later than forty-five (45) days after 
the publication date of this notice. Comments may be submitted either 
by email or by mail:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         To submit comments:                     Send them to:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
By email............................  [email protected].
By mail.............................  Assistant Attorney General, U.S.
                                       DOJ--ENRD, P.O. Box 7611,
                                       Washington, DC 20044-7611.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 $39.50 (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 $9.75.
    Comments on the draft Restoration Plan may be submitted to the 
Trustees either by email or by mail:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         To submit comments:                     Send them to:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
By email............................  [email protected] [email protected].
By mail.............................  USFWS Virginia Field Office, 6669
                                       Short Lane, Gloucester, VA 23061,
                                       Attn: Dan River Restoration Plan.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    All comments must be submitted no later than forty-five (45) days 
after the publication date of this notice. During the public comment 
period, a copy of the draft Restoration Plan will be available 
electronically at https://www.cerc.usgs.gov/orda_docs/CaseDetails?ID=984. A copy of the draft Restoration Plan may also be 
examined at the Virginia Ecological Services Field Office. Arrangements 
to view the documents must be made in advance by contacting Susan 
Lingenfelser at (804) 824-2415.

Henry S. Friedman,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2019-15843 Filed 7-25-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4410-15-P