[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 218 (Monday, November 14, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68194-68195]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24680]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Clean Air 
Act

    On November 4, 2022, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the Southern 
District of Ohio in the lawsuit entitled United States v. Utica 
Resource Operating, LLC, Case No. 22-cv-3906 (S.D. Ohio).
    The Complaint seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief relating 
to a number of oil and natural gas production well pads that Utica 
Resource Operating, LLC (``URO'') operates in Ohio. The claims in the 
Complaint arise from URO's alleged failure to comply with the CAA rules 
for preventing uncontrolled emissions of volatile organic compounds 
from dozens of large tanks that store crude oil and oily wastewater at 
the facilities. The Complaint alleges violations relating to 
noncompliance with storage vessel cover and closed vent system 
requirements, combustor operation requirements, and inspection and 
recordkeeping requirements. Under the Consent Decree, URO would be 
required to take a number of measures to come into compliance with the 
law. In particular, the proposed Consent Decree requires URO to pay a 
$1 million civil penalty, complete a suite of injunctive relief at 
fifteen well pads to come into compliance with the NSPS and the 
facilities' operating permits, and implement mitigation measures at 
many of the well pads owned by URO. The Consent Decree requires a 
multi-step compliance program to review the current design of each tank 
and vapor control system and then make necessary design improvements to 
ensure that vapors will not be released to the atmosphere during 
operations.
    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 v. Utica Resource Operating, LLC, D.J. 
Ref. No. 90-5-2-1-12514. All comments must be submitted no later than 
30 days after the publication date of this notice.

[[Page 68195]]

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 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 $10.75 (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. 2022-24680 Filed 11-10-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P