[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 193 (Friday, October 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 69673]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22261]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 
(``CERCLA'')

    On September 29, 2023, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
consent decree with the United States District Court for the District 
of New Jersey in the lawsuit entitled United States of America, New 
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Commissioner of the 
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and Administrator, 
New Jersey Spill Compensation Fund v. Stepan Company, Civil Action No. 
2:23-cv-20769-KM-JRA.
    The United States seeks performance of a remedial action and 
reimbursement of response costs under sections 106 and 107 of the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 
(``CERCLA'') in connection with Operable Unit 1 of the Maywood Chemical 
Company Superfund Site (``Site''), located in Maywood, Lodi, and 
Rochelle Park, Bergen County, New Jersey. The New Jersey Department of 
Environmental Protection, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department 
of Environmental Protection, and the Administrator of the New Jersey 
Spill Compensation Fund (collectively, ``NJDEP'') are co-plaintiffs.
    Under the proposed consent decree, the Settling Defendant (i.e., 
Stepan Company) agrees to perform response actions that are identified 
in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (``EPA'') Record 
of Decision relating to Operable Unit 1 of the Site, dated September 
23, 2014. The response actions address chemically contaminated soils at 
specified areas at the Site. The proposed consent decree also requires 
the Settling Defendant to pay the United States $362,853.28 and NJDEP 
$15,593.62 for past costs relating to Operable Unit 1. In addition, the 
proposed consent decree requires the Settling Defendant to pay the 
United States and NJDEP for future oversight costs relating to Operable 
Unit 1.
    The publication of this notice opens a period for public comment on 
the proposed consent decree. Comments should be addressed to the 
Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, 
and should refer to United States of America, New Jersey Department of 
Environmental Protection, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department 
of Environmental Protection, and Administrator, New Jersey Spill 
Compensation Fund v. Stepan Company, Civil Action No. 2:23-cv-20769-KM-
JRA, D.J. Ref. No. 90-11-3-12439/1. All comments must be submitted no 
later than sixty (60) 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 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 $72.25 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost), for the consent decree with appendices, or $10.25 
for the consent decree without the appendices, payable to the United 
States Treasury.

Henry S. Friedman,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2023-22261 Filed 10-5-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P