Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree

Under 28 CFR 50.7, notice is hereby given that on August 24, 1998,

a proposed Consent Decree in United States v. Zeneca Inc., Civ. No. 1-

98-0096, was lodged with the United States District Court for the

Middle District of Tennessee.

In this action against Zeneca, Inc., (``Zeneca'') the United States

sought to recover civil penalties and enjoin violations of the Safe

Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300f, et seq., and the implementing

Underground Injection Control regulations, 40 CFR 144.28, the Resource

Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq., the Clean Water

Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq., and the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7413. The

United States also sought relief under the Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. 9606. Zeneca

operates a chemical manufacturing facility in Mount Pleasant,

Tennessee.

This settlement resolves civil claims pending against Zeneca at its

Mount Pleasant facility. The proposed Decree provides that Zeneca will

pay a civil penalty of $3.5 million, and undertake two pollution

prevention Supplemental Environmental Projects (``SEPs'') at a

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cost of $2.5 million. Under the Decree, up to $500,000 of the penalty

can be mitigated through SEPs. The proposed Decree provides for

cessation of underground injection by May 1999, interim reductions in

the underground injection of contaminants, and extensive RCRA

corrective action at nine hazardous waste disposal sites.

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

days from the date of this publication comments relating to the 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.

Zeneca, Inc., D.J. Ref. 90-7-1-849.

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

States Attorney, 110 Ninth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203-3870, at

U.S. EPA Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, and

at the Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street, NW, 3rd Floor,

Washington, DC 20005, (202) 624-0892. A copy of the consent decree may

be obtained in person or by mail from the Consent Decree Library, 1120

G Street, NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20005. In requesting a copy,

please enclose a check in the amount of $21.75 (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. 98-23334 Filed 8-28-98; 8:45 am]

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