[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 10912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4062]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Clean Air Act

    In accordance with 28 CFR 50.7, notice is hereby given that on 
February 1, 2001, a proposed consent decree in United States v. Natural 
Gas Pipeline Company of America, Civil Action No. 99-S-2419, was lodged 
with the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.
    In this action, the United States sought civil penalties for 
alleged violations of Section 113(b) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), 42 
U.S.C. 7413(b), resulting from the alleged failure of Natural Gas 
Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) to obtain a Prevention of 
Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit from the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) before construction in May 1979 of a natural 
gas compressor station, the Akron Compressor Station (also known as the 
``Niobrara Compressor Station''), located in Washington County, 
Colorado. The United States also alleges that NGPL operated the Akron 
Compressor Station as a major stationary source in violation of the 
CAA, 42 U.S.C. 7413, without an appropriate PSD permit, and without 
application of best available control technology.
    Under the terms of the proposed consent decree, NGPL will pay a 
civil penalty of $215,000 for alleged violations of the CAA PSD 
program, and implement a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) that 
will be valued at $100,000 in order to resolve the United States' 
claims. The SEP requires NGPL to install equipment on two gas-fired 
compressor engines at the Crystal River Compressor Station in Glenwood 
Springs, Colorado, and on two gas-fired compressor engines at the Well 
Draw Compressor Station in Converse County, Wyoming. When the SEP is 
completed, total nitrogen oxide (NO<INF>X</INF> reductions at the two 
stations are expected to be about 400 tons per year (TPY). The proposed 
consent decree does not require that NGPL take any injunctive measures 
because NGPL no longer owns the Akron Compressor Station at issue in 
this case.
    The Department of Justice will receive comments relating to the 
proposed consent decree for a period of thirty (30) days from the date 
of this publication. Comments should be addressed to the Acting 
Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources 
Division, Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20530, and should refer 
to United States v. Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, Civil 
Action No. 99-S-2419, and Department of Justice Reference No. 90-5-2-1-
06728.
    The proposed consent decree may be examined at the Office of the 
United States Attorney, 1225 17th Street, Suite 700, Denver, CO 80202; 
and at U.S. EPA Region VIII, 999 18th Street, Denver, Colorado 80202. A 
copy of the proposed consent decree may be obtained by mail from the 
Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, DC 20044. In 
requesting a copy, please enclose a check in the amount of $7.50 (25 
cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the Consent Decree 
Library.

Robert Brook,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 01-4062 Filed 2-16-01; 8:45 am]
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