Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Comprehensive

Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

Notice is hereby given that a proposed consent decree in United

States, et al. versus Montrose Chemical Corporation of California, et

al, No. CV 90-3122-AAH (C.D. Cal), was lodged on March 25, 1997, with

the United States District Court for the Central District of

California. The consent decree resolves claims under Section 107 of the

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

of 1980, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9607, as amended, brought against defendant

County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County and 150 third-party

defendants for natural resource damages associated with contamination

of sediments on the Palos Verdes shelf in the vicinity of Los Angeles,

California, and for response costs incurred and to be incurred by the

United States Environmental Protection Agency in connection with

responding to the release and threatened release of hazardous

substances at the Montrose Chemical National Priorities List Site in

Torrance, CA, and at the aforementioned Palos Verdes shelf.

The proposed consent decree provides that the aforementioned

entities will collectively pay $45.7 million to resolve their liability

to the United States for natural resource damages and response costs as

described above. The proposed consent decree includes a covenant not to

sue by the United States under Sections 106 and 107 of the

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

of 1980, 42 U.S.C. Secs. 9606 and 9607, and under Section 7003 of the

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (``RCRA''), 42 U.S.C. Sec. 6973.

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. Commenters may request an opportunity for a

public meeting in the affected area, in accordance with Section 7003(d)

of RCRA. 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, et

al. versus Montrose Chemical Corporation of California, et al., No. CV

90-3122-AAH (C.D. Cal), DOJ Ref. #90-11-3-159 and DOJ Ref. #90-11-3-

511.

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

United States Attorney, Central District of California, Federal

Building, 300 North Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012; the

Region IX Office of the Environmental Protection Agency, 75 Hawthorne

Street, San Francisco, CA 94105; and at 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 copies please refer to the

referenced case and enclose a check in the amount of $67.00 (25 cents

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

Joel Gross,

Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural

Resources Division.

[FR Doc. 97-8530 Filed 4-2-97; 8:45 am]

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