[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 65935]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17944]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


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

    On August 6, 2024, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the District 
of Columbia in the lawsuit entitled United States v. Lawrence N. 
Brandt, Inc., Glenbrook Limited Partnership, and American University 
(Civil Action No. 1:24-CV-02303).
    The proposed Consent Decree resolves claims set forth in the 
Complaint against Lawrence N. Brandt, Inc., Glenbrook Limited 
Partnership, and American University for recovery of costs pursuant to 
Sections 107(a) and 113 of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9607 and 9613, and related 
to the 4825 Glenbrook Road Spring Valley Formerly Used Defense Site 
(FUDS). The Site is a residential parcel that previously included a 
single-family, detached home, located in the Spring Valley residential 
community in northwest Washington, DC. During World War I, American 
University offered the United States Government the use of its campus 
to support the war effort against Germany. Between 1917 and 1920, the 
United States Government subsequently used portions of the American 
University campus to conduct the research and development of chemical 
warfare material (CWM), including mustard and lewisite agents. Some of 
the CWM-related material was buried at various locations within the 
Spring Valley FUDS, including the 4825 Glenbrook Road property (which 
was later developed by Lawrence N. Brandt, Inc. and Glenbrook Limited 
Partnership). As a result, the United States also is a responsible 
party in this case.
    Under the proposed settlement, American University will pay $4 
million, and Lawrence N. Brandt, Inc. and Glenbrook Limited Partnership 
will pay $750,000 in reimbursement for their share of response costs 
related to the Site. In return, the United States agrees not to sue 
Defendants under section 107(a) of CERCLA for certain response costs 
related to the Site, and Defendants likewise agree not to sue the 
United States with respect to certain response costs. Because the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers handles all remediation work related to the 
Spring Valley cleanup, no response work is required of the Defendants 
under the Consent Decree.
    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. Lawrence N. Brandt, Inc., Glenbrook 
Limited Partnership, and American University (Civil Action No. 1:24-CV-
02303) and D.J. Ref. No. 90-11-3-12095. 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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    Any comments submitted in writing may be filed in whole or in part 
on the public court docket without notice to the commenter.
    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. If you require assistance 
accessing the Consent Decree, you may request assistance by email or by 
mail to the address provided above for submitting comments.

Jason Dunn,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division;
[FR Doc. 2024-17944 Filed 8-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P