    [Federal Register Volume 91, Number 58 (Thursday, March 26, 2026)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 14722-14723]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 2026-05897]

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    DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

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

        On March 19, 2026, 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, et al.

    [[Page 14723]]

    v. Ford Motor Co., et al., Civil Action No. 2:26-cv-2846.
        The United States filed this lawsuit on behalf of the U.S.
    Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'') against Ford Motor Company
    and the Borough of Ringwood, NJ for the 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'') at the Ringwood Mines/Landfill Superfund
    Site (``Site''), which is contaminated with paint sludge, metals,
    polychlorinated biphenyls (``PCBs''), and other hazardous substances.
    The State of New Jersey, including 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, are co-plaintiffs.
        Under the proposed consent decree, Ford Motor Company and the
    Borough of Ringwood agree to perform the remedial action for Operable
    Unit 3, identified in the EPA Record of Decision relating to the Site,
    dated September 2020. The proposed consent decree also requires the
    Defendants to partially reimburse the State of New Jersey for its past
    response costs and to reimburse the United States and the State of New
    Jersey for their future Site-related response costs. In exchange,
    Defendants will receive contribution protection and covenants not to
    sue under Sections 106, 107(a) and 113 of the Comprehensive
    Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as
    amended, 42 U.S.C. 9606, 9607(a) and 9613 and the Spill Compensation
    and Control Act (the ``Spill Act''), N.J.S.A. 58:10-23.11 through -
    23.24, for the Site.
        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, et al. v. Ford Motor Co., et al., Civil
    Action No. 2:26-cv-2846, D.J. Ref. No. 90-11-3-830/2. 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............................  pubcomment-ees.enrd@usdoj.gov.
    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 by the United States
    in whole or in part on the public court docket without notice to the
    commenter.
        NJDEP, in accordance with N.J.S.A 58:10-23.11e2 of the Spill Act
    will also publish notice of the proposed Consent Decree in the New
    Jersey Register and on NJDEP's website for a period of 60 days.
    Comments that are submitted to the Department will be shared with the
    State for consideration and will not need to be resubmitted.
        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 proposed Consent Decree, you may request assistance by
    email or by mail to the addresses provided above for submitting
    comments.

    Eric D. Albert,
    Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment
    and Natural Resources Division.
    [FR Doc. 2026-05897 Filed 3-25-26; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4410-15-P