[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 7, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41663-41664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-13721]
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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 July 2, 2026, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed
Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the District
of Montana in the lawsuit entitled United States and the State of
Montana v. Columbia Falls Aluminum Company, LLC, Civil Action No. 9:26-
cv-00099-KLD. The proposed Consent Decree resolves the United States'
and the State of Montana's claims against the Columbia Falls Aluminum
Company (``CFAC'') under Section 107(a) of the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980
(``CERCLA''), 42 U.S.C. 9607(a), and the Montana Comprehensive
Environmental Cleanup and Responsibility Act, Sec. Sec. 75-10-701, et
seq., for the recovery of costs related to the release of hazardous
substances at the Anaconda Aluminum Co. Columbia Falls Reduction Plant
National Priorities List Site (also known as the Columbia Falls
Aluminum Company Site) (the ``Site'') near Columbia Falls, Montana.
In the proposed Consent Decree, CFAC agrees to reimburse the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'') for $1,800,000.00 in
past response costs, and to pay future response costs that will be
incurred at the Site. CFAC also agrees to reimburse any independent
State future response costs incurred by the Montana Department of
Environmental Quality. CFAC will complete all cleanup work required
under the Record of Decision issued by EPA for the Site in January,
2025. EPA estimates the cost of the work required of CFAC under the
Consent Decree is $57,634,528.00.
In return for CFAC's agreement to perform the work required by the
Consent Decree and pay EPA's past and future response costs and the
State's future response costs, the United States is providing a
standard covenant not to sue under Sections 106 and 107(a) of CERCLA,
42 U.S.C. 9606 and 9607(a). The State is also providing a covenant
under sections 711, 715(2)(a), 722, and 726 of CECRA.
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 and the State of Montana v. Columbia
Falls Aluminum Company, LLC, D.J. Ref. No. 90-11-3-12932. 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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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
[[Page 41664]]
addresses provided above for submitting comments.
Jason A. Dunn,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2026-13721 Filed 7-6-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P