Notice of Lodging of Proposed Modification to Consent Decree Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Notice of Lodging of Proposed Modification to Consent Decree

Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and

Liability Act

Notice is hereby given that, on November 3, 1999, a modification to

the July 14, 1998 Consent Decree in United States v. Block Island Power

Company, Inc., Civil Action No. 98-045 ML, was lodged in the United

States District Court for the District of Rhode Island.

The proposed modification to the Consent Decree extends, by six

months, the date by which Block Island Power Company, Inc. (``BIPCO'')

must achieve final compliance with the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et

seq. Under paragraph 22 of the July 14, 1998 Consent Decree, BIPCO

agreed to install and operate lowest achievable emission rate

(``LAER'') pollution controls on its generators by eighteen months from

the date that it abandoned the underwater cable project. BIPCO

abandoned the cable project on March 1, 1999 and therefore under the

July 14, 1998 Consent Decree, BIPCO needed to install and operate LAER

by September 1, 2000. The proposed modification to the Consent Decree

would extend this September 1, 2000 date by six months, until March 1,

2001. The proposed modification does not affect any other provisions of

the July 14, 1998 Consent Decree.

The Department of Justice will accept written comments solely

relating to the proposed modification to the July 14, 1998 Consent

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

notice. Please address comments to the Assistant Attorney General,

Environment and Natural Resources Division, Department of Justice, P.O.

Box 7611, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, DC 20044 and refer to Block

Island Power Company, Inc., Civil Action No. 98-045 ML (D.R.I.), DJ #

90-5-2-1-2021.

Copies of the proposed modification to the Consent Decree may be

examined at the Office of the United States Attorney for the District

of Rhode Island, Assistant United States Attorney, Fleet Center, 8th

floor, 50 Kennedy Plaza, Providence, Rhode Island 02903; at the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, Region I, 1 Congress Street, Suite

1100, Boston, Massachusetts 02114. A copy of the proposed modification

to the Consent Decree may also be obtained in person or by mail at the

Department of Justice Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611,

Washington, DC 20044. When requesting a copy of the proposed

modification to the Consent Decree by mail, please enclose a check in

the amount of $.75 (twenty-five cents per page reproduction costs)

payable to the ``Consent Decree Library.''

Joel M. Gross,

Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural

Resources Division, Department of Justice.

[FR Doc. 99-30829 Filed 11-26-99; 8:45 am]

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