82 FR 26518 - Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Oil Pollution Act

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 108 (June 7, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26518-26519]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11783]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Oil 
Pollution Act

    On June 1, 2017, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
Consent Decree (``Consent Decree'') with the United States District 
Court for the District of Puerto Rico in the lawsuit entitled United 
States and Commonwealth of Puerto Rico v. Port Stewart GmbH&Co. Kg of 
Germany, Civil Action No. 3:17-cv-01742.
    In a Complaint, the United States, on behalf of the Department of 
Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (``NOAA''), and 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, on behalf of the Puerto Rico 
Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (``DNER''), seek to 
recover damages for the injury to, destruction of, loss of, or loss of 
use of natural resources under the Oil Pollution Act, 33 U.S.C. 2701, 
et seq. The Complaint alleges that on October 27, 2009, Port Stewart 
GmbH&Co. Kg of Germany (the ``Defendant''), caused damage to a coral 
reef habitat on the southeast side of Puerto Rico near the entrance to 
Yabucoa Channel in the Caribbean Sea due to the grounding of the T/V 
Port Stewart, an oil tanker that it owned and operated. The proposed 
Consent Decree in this case requires that Defendant pay a total of 
$550,000 for the damage, which includes $412,000 to restore injured 
coral reefs in the area, and $128,000 in reimbursement of NOAA costs 
and $10,000 in reimbursement of DNER costs in assessing the damage.
    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 and Commonwealth of Puerto Rico v. 
Port Stewart GmbH&Co. Kg of Germany, D.J. Ref. No. 90-5-1-1-11557. 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 proposed 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 proposed 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 $5.50 (25 cents per page

[[Page 26519]]

reproduction cost), payable to the United States Treasury.

Robert E. Maher, Jr.,
Assistant Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment & 
Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2017-11783 Filed 6-6-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P