82 FR 61797 - Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”)

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 249 (December 29, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 249 (Friday, December 29, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 61797]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-28143]


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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 December 21, 2017, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the Eastern 
District of California that would resolve the lawsuit entitled United 
States v. Coast Wood Preserving, Inc., Civil Action No. 1:17-cv-01720. 
The proposed Consent Decree was lodged in the related case State of 
California Department of Toxic Substances Control and Toxic Substances 
Control Account v. Coast Wood Preserving, et al., Civil Action No. CV-
F-96-6055, which would also be resolved by the proposed Consent Decree. 
The Department of Justice has filed a motion requesting that these two 
cases be considered together by the court for purposes of settlement.
    This case involves claims under CERCLA relating to the costs of 
remediating soil and groundwater contamination at the Coast Wood 
Preserving Site in Ukiah, California (the ``Site''). Under the proposed 
Consent Decree, Coast Wood Preserving, Inc. agrees to conduct the 
remaining cleanup work at the Site, to pay $57,450 for EPA's past 
response costs incurred in connection with the Site, and to pay any 
such costs EPA incurs in the future. In exchange, Coast Wood 
Preserving, Inc. receives a covenant not to sue under Sections 106 and 
107 of CERCLA and Section 7003 of the Resource Conservation and 
Recovery Act (``RCRA''). A group of current and former shareholders and 
employees of Coast Wood Preserving, Inc.--the Michael Logsdon Wood 
Trust, the Schmidt Wood Trust, Joyce Logsdon, Eugene E. Pietila, and 
Robert Schmidt--are also parties to the proposed Consent Decree, and 
also receive covenants not to sue under CERCLA and RCRA.
    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 v. Coast Wood Preserving, Inc., D.J. 
Ref. No. 90-11-3-835/3. 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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    Under section 7003(d) of RCRA, a commenter may request an 
opportunity for a public meeting in the affected area.
    During the public comment period, the proposed Consent Decree may 
be examined and downloaded at this Justice Department website: 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 $177.00 (25 cents per 
page reproduction cost) payable to the United States Treasury. For a 
paper copy without the exhibits and signature pages, the cost is 
$28.25.

Henry S. Friedman,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2017-28143 Filed 12-28-17; 8:45 am]
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