[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 188 (Friday, September 27, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 59718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-23500]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Proposed Settlement Agreement Under the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

    On September 2, 2013, a proposed Settlement Agreement was lodged 
with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of 
California in the case entitled In re Halaco Engineering Company, Case 
No. 9:02-bk-12255-RR (Bankr. C.D. Cal.).
    In 2006, the United States, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (``EPA''), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration of the Department of Commerce (``NOAA''), and the Fish 
and Wildlife Service of the Department of Interior (``FWS'') filed in 
the above bankruptcy action a Proof of Claim for environmental response 
costs, natural resource damages, and natural resource damage assessment 
costs pursuant to Section 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (``CERCLA''), 42 U.S.C. 9607, 
relating to the Halaco Superfund Site in Oxnard, California. In 2010, 
the United States filed a Request for Payment of Environmental Response 
Costs as Chapter 7 Administrative Expenses and Updated Proof of Claim. 
Under the Settlement Agreement, the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee has 
agreed to provide to EPA an allowed $335,686 Chapter 7 administrative 
priority claim and an allowed $52,593,544 general unsecured claim; to 
NOAA, an allowed $487,199 general unsecured claim; and to FWS, an 
allowed $329,267 general unsecured claim. The Settlement Agreement 
further provides the United States with a judgment for the allowed 
claims above and an assignment of insurance rights and policies owned 
by the debtor, Halaco Engineering Company. The Settlement Agreement 
separately resolves non-CERCLA state-law claims asserted in the 
bankruptcy action by the California Regional Water Quality Control 
Board, Los Angeles Region, and the California State Water Quality 
Control Board.
    The publication of this notice opens a period for public comment on 
the proposed settlement agreement. Comments should be addressed to the 
Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, 
and should refer to In re Halaco Engineering Company, Case No. 9:02-bk-
12255-RR (Bankr. C.D. Cal.), D.J. Ref. No. 90-11-2-08829. 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:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         To submit comments:                     Send them to:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
By e-mail...........................  [email protected].
By mail.............................  Assistant Attorney General, U.S.
                                       DOJ--ENRD, P.O. Box 7611,
                                       Washington, DC 20044-7611.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    During the public comment period, the proposed consent decree may 
be examined and downloaded at this Justice Department Web site: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html. 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 $12.75 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost) payable to the United States Treasury.

Henry Friedman,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2013-23500 Filed 9-26-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P