[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 248 (Thursday, December 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 61592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-28101]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Clean Air
Act
On December 22, 2017, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed
Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the Western
District of Louisiana in the lawsuit entitled United States et al. v.
Columbian Chemical Company, (W.D. La.), Civil Case. No. 6:17-cv-01661.
In this civil enforcement action under the federal Clean Air Act
(``Act''), the United States the Louisiana Department of Environmental
Quality, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment allege
that Columbian Chemical Company (``Defendant''), failed to comply with
certain requirements of the Act intended to protect air quality at
three carbon black manufacturing facilities in North Bend, Louisiana,
and Hickok, Kansas. 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. 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''), nitrogen oxides
(``NOX''), and/or particulate matter (``PM'') at the tow
facilities.
The proposed Consent Decree would resolve violations for certain
provisions of the Act at the three facilities, and would require the
Defendant to reduce harmful SO2, NOX, and
particulate matter emissions through the installation and operation of
pollution controls. The Defendant will also spend $375,000 to fund
environmental mitigation projects that will further reduce emissions
and benefit communities adversely affected by the pollution from the
facilities, and pay a civil penalty of $650,000.
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. Colombian Chemical Company
(W.D. La.), D.J. Ref. No. 90-5-2-1-10943. 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 website: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. The Justice Department 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 $26.75 (25 cents per page
reproduction cost) payable to the United States Treasury.
Thomas Carroll,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2017-28101 Filed 12-27-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P