Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Clean Water Act

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Clean Water Act

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

hereby given that on October 21, 1996, a proposed Consent Decree in

United States v. Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County Commission

and the State of Alabama, Case No. 93-G-2492-S was lodged with the

United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The

consent decree provides for extensive rehabilitation to the entire

Jefferson County wastewater collection system and the County's ten

wastewater treatment facilities. The consent decree also provides for

the recovery of a $750,000 civil penalty against Jefferson County,

Alabama and the Jefferson County Commission (hereinafter ``the

County'') under Section 309 (b) and (d) of the Clean Water Act (``CWA''

or ``Act''), 33 U.S.C. 1319 (b) and (d).

In addition, the consent decree requires the County to perform a

Supplemental Environmental Project (``SEP'') valued at $30 million. The

SEP involves the acquisition of riparian properties or ``Greenways''

for the purpose of reducing or eliminating non-point source pollution

into the Cahaba and Black Warrior River systems in Jefferson County and

generally enhancing the water quality of those river systems. A

secondary benefit of the SEP shall be to protect, restore, and enhance

aquatic and stream corridor habitats of the river systems.

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

days from the date of this publication comments relating to the

proposed Consent Decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant

Attorney General of the Environment and Natural Resources Division,

Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20530, and should refer to United

States v. Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County Commission and

the State of Alabama, D.J. Ref. 90-5-1-1-4195.

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

United States Attorney, Northern District of Alabama, 200 Robert S.

Vance Federal Building and Courthouse, 1800 5th Avenue, North, Room

200, Birmingham, Alabama 35203-2198 and at Region 4, Office of the

Environmental Protection Agency, 100 Alabama Street, SW., Atlanta,

Georgia 30303, and at the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street, NW.,

4th Floor, Washington, DC 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, NW., 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20005. In

requesting a copy, please enclose a check in the amount of $34.25 (25

cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the Consent Decree

Library.

Joel Gross,

Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural

Resources Division.

[FR Doc. 96-28154 Filed 11-1-96; 8:45 am]

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