Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Clean Air Act

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Clean Air Act

In accordance with Departmental policy, 28 CFR Sec. 50.7, 38 FR

19029, notice is hereby given that on April 26, 1996, a proposed

Consent Decree in United States v. Raymond G. Regis, Paul Wasson, and

Wasson and Regis, a Partnership, Civil Action No. 94-CV-0319C(F), was

lodged with the United States District Court for the Western District

of New York resolving the matters alleged in the United States'

complaint filed on April 28, 1994. The proposed Consent Decree

represents a settlement of the United States' claims against Raymond G.

Regis, Paul Wasson, and Wasson and Regis, a Partnership

(``Defendants'') under the Safe Drinking Water Act for Defendants'

violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act by failing to comply with the

Underground Injection Control (``UIC'') regulations for Class II

injection wells for the secondary recovery of oil, 40 CFR Part 144.28,

promulgated under sections 300h and 300h-1 of the Safe Drinking Water

Act, 42 U.S.C. 1421 and 1422, and for failure to comply with the terms

of a final administrative order issued pursuant to section 300h-2(c),

42 U.S.C. 1423(c), requiring compliance with the Safe Drinking Water

Act UIC program.

Under the proposed Consent Decree the Defendants shall comply with

the UIC regulations, including the implementing regulations pertaining

to Class II Injection Wells at 40 CFR 144.22 and 144.28, and the Safe

Drinking Water Act. Under the consent decree, Defendants are also

required to submit a plugging and abandonment schedule (the

``Schedule'') for the fifteen wells at the Stillman facility in

Bolivar, New York, within thirty days from the date of lodging, which

provides for the proper plugging and abandonment of at least three

wells per year commencing no later than calendar year 1996 and to

properly plug and abandon the fifteen secondary, enhanced recovery

injection wells at the Stillman facility pursuant to the Schedule and a

previously submitted and approved plugging and abandonment plan (the

``Plan'').

The Department of Justice will receive, for thirty (30) days from

the date of publication of this notice, written comments relating to

the Consent Decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant

Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S.

Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. 20530 and should refer to

United States v. Raymond G. Regis, Paul Wasson, and Wasson and Regis, a

Partnership, D.O.J. Ref. No. 90-5-1-1-3937.

The proposed Consent Decree may be examined at the Office of the

United States Attorney for the Western District of New York located at

68 Court Street, Buffalo, New York 14202; at the Region II Office of

the Environmental Protection Agency located at 290 Broadway, New York,

New York 10007; and at the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street, N.W.,

4th Floor Washington, D.C., 20005, (202)-624-0892. A copy of the

proposed Consent Decree may be obtained in person or by mail from the

Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street, N.W., 4th Floor, Washington,

D.C., 20005. In requesting a copy, please enclose a check in the amount

of $15.50 (25 cents per page reproduction charge) payable to the

Consent Decree Library.

Joel M. Gross,

Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural

Resources Division.

[FR Doc. 96-12113 Filed 5-14-96; 8:45 am]

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