Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period for Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period for Lodging of

Consent Decree Pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response,

Compensation and Liability Act

Notice is hereby given that the public comment period is being

extended for 15 days to allow comment on the proposed Consent Decree in

United States v. Conoco Inc., Civ. No. 97-0445, that was lodged on

March 6, 1997 with the United States District Court for the Western

District of Louisiana. The original Federal Register notice was

published on April 8, 1997.

The parties to the Decree are Conoco Inc. (``Conoco'') and the

relevant natural resource trustees: the National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration; the Department of the Interior, and the

State of Louisiana through the Louisiana Department of Environmental

Quality, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the

Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. Under the terms of the

Decree, Conoco agrees to implement and fund a restoration-based

settlement as compensation for natural resource damages suffered as a

result of a March, 1994 release of 1,2 dichloroethane (``EDC'') from

Conoco's facility in Westlake, Louisiana. The claim being settled arise

under Section 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,

Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9607.

Conteporaneously with lodging the Consent Decree, the United States

and the State of Louisiana jointly filed a complaint alleging that

Conoco is an owner or operator of the facility that released the EDC

within the meaning of Sections 107(a)(1) and 107(a)(2) of the

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

(``CERCLA''), 42 U.S.C. Secs. 9607(a)(1) and 9607(a)(2).

The Department of Justice will receive, for an additional fifteen

(15) days from the date of this publication, comments relating to the

proposed Consent Decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant

Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division,

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

United States v. Conoco, DOJ Reference Number 90-11-3-1655.

The proposed Consent Decree my be examined 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 refer to

the referenced case and enclose a check in the amount of $21.75 (25

cents per page reproduction costs), payable to the Consent Decree

Library.

Joel Gross,

Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and

Natural Resources Division.

[FR Doc. 97-12565 Filed 5-13-97; 8:45 am]

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