Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Pursuant to the

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act

In accordance with Departmental policy, 28 CFR Sec. 50.7, notice is

hereby given that a proposed settlement agreement in In re: Chem-Tech

Systems, Inc., Case No. LA95-18924-SB (C.D. Cal.), was lodged on June

21, 1996 with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central

District of California. On August 30, 1995, the United States filed a

Proof of Claim in the Debtor's Chapter 11 case, seeking reimbursement

of past and future response costs for a cleanup at the Casmalia

Resources Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility Site (the ``Site'') in

Santa Barbara, California. Under section 107(a) of the Comprehensive

Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (``CERCLA''), 42

U.S.C. Sec. 9607(a), Chem-Tech is liable for these costs because of its

contribution of hazardous substances to the Site.

The proposed settlement agreement provides that the United States'

claim will be valued at $1.6 million and will receive the same

treatment as other general unsecured creditors. Chem-Tech will receive

a covenant not to sue from the United States related to the Site and

will receive protection from suits from other parties.

The Department of Justice will receive, for a period of thirty (30)

days from the date of this publication, comments relating to the

proposed settlement agreement. Comments should be addressed to the

Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources

Division, U.S. Department of Justice, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, DC

20044; and refer to In re: Chem-Tech Systems, DOJ Ref. #90-7-1-611C.

The proposed settlement agreement may be examined at the office of

the United States Attorney, Central District of California, 300 North

Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, California 90012; at the Region IX

office of the Environmental Protection Agency, 75 Hawthorne Street, San

Francisco, California 94105; and at the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G

Street, NW., 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 624-0892. A copy of

the proposed settlement agreement may be obtained in person or by mail

from the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street, NW., 4th Floor,

Washington, DC 20005. In requesting a copy please refer to the

referenced case and enclose a check in the amount of $4.00 (25 cents

per page reproduction costs), payable to the Consent Decree Library.

Bruce S. Gelber,

Deputy Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and

Natural Resources Division.

[FR Doc. 96-18096 Filed 7-16-96; 8:45 am]

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