Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to Federal Water Pollution Control Act as Amended by the Oil Pollution Control Act

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to Federal Water

Pollution Control Act as Amended by the Oil Pollution Control Act

In accordance with Departmental policy, notice is hereby given that

a proposed consent decree in United States v. Conoco Pipe Line Company,

Civil Action No. 96-1482-WEB, was lodged on December 31, 1996 with the

United States District Court for the District of Kansas. In a complaint

filed contemporaneously with the lodging of the proposed consent

decree, the United States alleges that Defendant Conoco Pipe Line

Company (``CPL''), pursuant to Sections 301, 309 and 311 of the Clean

Water Act (``CWA''), as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA),

33 U.S.C. Secs. 1311, 1319 and 1321, spilled 594 barrels of oil on five

separate occasions into navigable waters in Kansas and Missouri between

March 1991 and August 1994.

The proposed consent decree provides that the Defendant will

conduct pipe-to-soil surveys, inspect its pipelines, and replace and

bury approximately 960 feet of existing pipeline at three water

crossings as measures to prevent future oil spills into navigable

waters. CPL will also pay a civil penalty of $112,500.

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

days

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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 Pipe Line Company, DOJ Ref #90-5-1-1-4208.

The proposed consent decree may be examined at the Office of the

United States Attorney, 1200 Epic Center, 301 North Main, Wichita,

Kansas 67202; the Region VII Office of the Environmental Protection

Agency, Office of Regional Counsel, Air, Water, Toxics and General Law

Branch, 726 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66101; and 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 refer to the referenced case and enclose a check in the

amount of $6.00 (25 cents per page reproduction costs), for a copy of

the consent decree, payable to the Consent Decree Library.

Joel M. Gross,

Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section.

[FR Doc. 97-1318 Filed 1-17-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410-15-M