Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree United States v. Tenneco Oil Company

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree United States v. Tenneco Oil

Company

In accordance with Departmental policy, 28 C.F.R. Sec. 50.7, notice

is hereby given that, on January 22, 1997 a Consent Decree was lodged

with the United States District Court for the Western District of

Oklahoma in United States v. Tenneco Oil Company, Civil Action No. CIV-

96-017-C, an action under Section 1431(a) of the Safe Drinking Water

Act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 300i(a) for provision of an alternative water

supply for the Sac and Fox Indian Nation and damages for contamination

of the aquifer.

The proposed Decree is designed to remedy contamination of the

lands and groundwater of the Sac and Fox in Lincoln County, Oklahoma.

The Decree provides for the purchase and conveyance by Tenneco to the

Sac and Fox of specified parcels of land in order to provide an

adequate, alternative source of drinking water; installation of a river

water intake to provide agricultural irrigation; and the reforestation

of a pecan grove. The Decree also provides for the payment of

$1,160,000 to the Sac and Fox, both for their discretionary use and for

dedicated projects for the clean-up of tribal lands. Finally, the

proposed Decree resolves the liability of Tenneco for specified oil and

gas related claims by the United States and the Sac and Fox Nation.

The Department of Justice will receive written comments relating to

the proposed Decree for thirty (30) days from the date of publication

of this notice. Comments should be addressed to Lois J. Schiffer,

Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division,

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

United States v. Tenneco Oil Company,. DOJ #90-6-6-137.

Copies of the Decree may be examined at the offices of the United

States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, 210 West Park

Avenue, Suite 400, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102; the Untied States

Environmental Protection Agency--Region VI, 1445 Ross Avenue, Suite

1200, Dallas, Texas, 75202; the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street,

NW 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005, (202) 624-0892; and the Sac and

Fox Library, Sac and Fox Nation, Route 2, Stroud, Oklahoma 74079.

Copies of the Consent Decree may be obtained from the Consent Decree

Library. In requesting copies, please enclose a check in the amount of

$11.50 (25 cents per page) payable to the Consent Decree Library.

Walker Smith,

Deputy Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and

Natural Resources Division.

[FR Doc. 97-2908 Filed 2-5-97; 8:45 am]

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