81 FR 14130 - Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Clean Air Act

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 51 (March 16, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14130-14131]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05876]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


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

    On March 10, 2016, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
consent decree with the United States District Court for the District 
of Maryland in the lawsuit entitled United States v. Westvaco 
Corporation, Civil Action No. 00-2602.
    Until May 2005, Westvaco owned and operated an integrated pulp and 
paper mill in Western Maryland known as the Luke Mill. The complaint 
filed by the United States alleges inter alia that Westvaco violated 
the Clean Air Act's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (``PSD'') 
regulations by making a ``major modification'' to the Luke Mill without 
first obtaining a PSD permit and without installing and operating Best 
Available Control Technology (``BACT'') to control emissions of sulfur 
dioxide from the mill's No. 25 power boiler. The United States' claim 
for civil penalties was dismissed as time barred. The United States' 
claim for injunctive relief, in the form of BACT on the No. 25 power 
boiler, was denied because Westvaco no longer owns or operates the Luke 
Mill. The consent decree requires the defendant to pay $1.6 million, 
split equally between the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest 
Service, to be used to implement projects in Shenandoah National Park 
and the Monongahela National Forest to mitigate the adverse effects of 
acidic deposition.
    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. Westvaco Corporation, D.J. Ref. No. 
90-5-2-1-06444. 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 Web site: 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.

[[Page 14131]]

    Please enclose a check or money order for $3.75 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost) payable to the United States Treasury.

Robert Brook,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-05876 Filed 3-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4410-15-P