[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 61076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24469]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


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

    On October 31, 2019, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
Amended Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the 
District of Minnesota in the lawsuit entitled United States, et al. v. 
Reilly Tar & Chem. Corp., et al., Civil Action No. 4:80-cv-469.
    On September 4, 1986, the Court had previously entered a Consent 
Decree in this action resolving claims brought by Plaintiffs the United 
States of America and the State of Minnesota against Reilly Tar & 
Chemical Corporation, Housing and Redevelopment of St. Louis Park, Oak 
Park Village Associates, Rustic Oaks Condominium Inc., and Phillip's 
Investment Co. (collectively, the ``Defendants''), and the consolidated 
actions brought by the City of St. Louis Park and the City of Hopkins 
against Reilly Tar & Chemical Corporation. Those actions were brought 
under Sections 106 and 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act (``CERCLA''), 42 U.S.C. 9606-07, 
seeking injunctive relief regarding the cleanup of the Reilly Tar & 
Chemical Corporation (St. Louis Park Plant) Superfund Site in St. Louis 
Park, Minnesota (the ``Site'') and recovery of certain response costs 
incurred in connection with releases and threatened releases of 
hazardous substances at and from the Site.
    The proposed Amended Consent Decree addresses issues raised by the 
bankruptcy liquidation of Reilly Tar's successor in liability, updated 
state and federal Performance Standards for various contaminants of 
concern, as well as an evolved understanding of the conceptual site 
model. The proposed Amended Consent Decree reflects a cooperative 
approach among the remaining parties to address these issues. The City 
of St. Louis Park will formally undertake the obligation to finance and 
perform the remaining work addressing contaminated groundwater, 
obligations previously undertaken by the City of St. Louis Park 
pursuant to a side-agreement with Reilly Tar, and the Remedial Action 
Plan has been updated to incorporate current Maximum Contaminant Levels 
and state limits for the contaminants of concern.
    The publication of this notice opens a period for public comment on 
the proposed Amended Consent Decree. Comments should be addressed to 
the Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources 
Division, and should refer to United States, et al. v. Reilly Tar & 
Chem. Corp., et al., D.J. Ref. No. 90-7-1-21/2. 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 Amended 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 Amended 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 $29.50 (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 $10.75.

Randall M. Stone,
Acting Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, 
Environment and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2019-24469 Filed 11-8-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P