[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 5, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 31077]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14020]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


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

    On June 28, 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. Suez Shipping North America 
LLC and Hoegh LNG Fleet Management AS, Civil Action No. 3:17-cv-01741.
    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 December 15, 2009, Suez Shipping 
North America LLC and Hoegh LNG Fleet Management AS (the 
``Defendants''), caused damage to a coral reef habitat in the Caribbean 
Sea on the south shore of Puerto Rico near Guaynilla due to the 
grounding of the LNGC Matthew, a liquefied natural gas tanker owned/
operated by them. The proposed Consent Decree in this case requires 
that Defendants pay a total of $1,900,000 for the damage, which 
includes $1,708,000 to restore injured coral reefs in the area, and 
$182,000 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. 
Suez Shipping North America LLC and Hoegh LNG Fleet Management AS, D.J. 
Ref. No. 90-5-1-1-11554. 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, D.C.
                                             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 $6.00 (25 cents per page 
reproduction cost), payable to the United States Treasury.

Robert E. Maher, Jr.,
Assistant Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment & 
Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2017-14020 Filed 7-3-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4410-15-P