[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 138 (Monday, July 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 42840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17711]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Clean Air
Act
On July 15, 2015, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed
Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the Northern
District of Iowa in the lawsuit entitled United States, et al. v.
Interstate Power and Light Company, Civil Case No. 1:15-cv-00061 (N.D.
Iowa). The State of Iowa, Linn County Iowa, and the Sierra Club are co-
plaintiffs in the case.
In this civil enforcement action under the federal Clean Air Act
(``Act''), the United States alleges that Interstate Power and Light
Company (``Defendant''), failed to comply with certain requirements of
the Act intended to protect air quality at power plants in Iowa. The
complaint seeks injunctive relief and civil penalties for violations of
the Clean Air Act's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (``PSD'')
provisions, 42 U.S.C. 7470-92, and various Clean Air Act implementing
regulations. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Defendant failed
to obtain appropriate permits and failed to install and operate
required pollution control devices to reduce emissions of sulfur
dioxide (``SO2'') and/or nitrogen oxides
(``NOX'') at the company's Ottumwa and Lansing plants.
The proposed Consent Decree would resolve violations for certain
provisions of the Act at the Ottumwa and Lansing plants as well as
Defendant's five other coal-fired power plants in Iowa: The Burlington,
Dubuque, M.L. Kapp, Prairie Creek, and Sutherland plants. The proposed
Consent Decree would require the Defendant to reduce harmful
SO2, NOX, and particulate matter emissions from
these seven plants through the installation and operation of pollution
controls and conversions to natural gas or retirements. The Defendant
will also spend $6,000,000 to fund environmental mitigation projects
that will further reduce emissions and benefit communities adversely
affected by the pollution from the plants, and pay a civil penalty of
$1,100,000.
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, et al. v. Interstate Power and Light
Company, Civil Case No. 1:15-cv&00061 (N.D. Iowa), D.J. Ref. No. 90-5-
2-1-10594. 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: http://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 $ 29.50 (25 cents per
page reproduction cost) payable to the United States Treasury.
Maureen Katz,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-17711 Filed 7-17-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P