[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 242 (Wednesday, December 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81520-81521]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27679]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Proposed Settlement Agreement Under the Oil Pollution 
Act of 1990

    Notice is hereby given that the United States of America, on behalf 
of the Department of the Interior (``DOI''), acting through the Fish 
and Wildlife Service, and the State of Indiana, on behalf of the 
Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana Department of 
Environmental Management, (collectively ``Trustees''), are providing an 
opportunity for public comment on a proposed Settlement Agreement among 
the United States, Indiana, and Marathon Pipe Line, LLC (``Marathon'').
    The Settlement Agreement resolves the United States' and Indiana's 
claims under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (``OPA''), 33 U.S.C. 2701 et 
seq., for injury to natural resources resulting from two oil spills 
from Marathon pipelines in different parts of the state of Indiana. The 
first spill occurred on March 20, 2018, when approximately 1,400 
barrels (58,800 gallons) of low sulfur diesel fuel was discharged from 
a Marathon pipeline into Big Creek, near Solitude, Posey County, 
Indiana (``Big Creek Spill''). The second spill, on April 2, 2019, 
involved the release of an estimated 300 barrels (12,600 gallons) of 
natural gasoline from an 8-inch product pipeline owned by Marathon near 
Knightsville, Clay County, Indiana, impacting soil and a tributary of 
Billy Creek (``Knightsville Spill'').
    The Settlement Agreement requires Marathon to pay $412,780.15 to 
the DOI Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Fund. This 
amount will reimburse past assessment costs and fund the development 
and implementation of restoration plans to restore, replace, 
rehabilitate, or acquire the equivalent of those resources injured by 
the two spills and to compensate the public for any lost recreational 
opportunities. Marathon will receive from the Trustees a covenant not 
to sue under OPA or other statutes for natural resource damages caused 
by the Spills, including damage assessment costs.
    The publication of this notice opens a period for public comment on 
the proposed Settlement Agreement. Comments should be addressed to

[[Page 81521]]

Daniel W. Sparks, and should refer to: Marathon Settlement Agreement. 
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.............................  Daniel W. Sparks, Senior Fish and
                                       Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and
                                       Wildlife Service, 620 S Walker
                                       St., Bloomington, IN 47403.
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    During the public comment period, the Settlement Agreement may be 
examined and downloaded at this website: https://www.fws.gov/midwest/es/ec/nrda/BigCreekIndiana/Index.html#AdminRecord. We will provide a 
paper copy of the Settlement Agreement upon written request and payment 
of reproduction costs. Please mail your request and payment to: 
Assistant Solicitor, Environmental Restoration Branch, Office of the 
Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, MS 6318, 
Washington, DC 20240.
    Please enclose a check or money order for $2.50 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost) payable to the United States Treasury.

Patricia McKenna,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2020-27679 Filed 12-15-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P