01-28566. Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Act

Notice is hereby given that on October 4, 2001, a proposed consent decree in United States, et al., v. Oak Park Real Estate, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 01 C 7582, was lodged with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

The consent decree settles claims against management agents and owners of several residential apartment buildings in Chicago, Illinois, which were brought on behalf of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency under the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act 42 U.S.C. § 4851 et seq. (“Lead Hazard Reduction Act”). The United States alleged in its complaint that each defendant failed to provide information to tenants concerning lead-based paint hazards, and failed to disclose to tenants the presence of any known lead-based paint or any known lead-based paint hazards.

Under the consent decree, defendants have agreed to provide the required notice and disclosures, to perform inspections at the buildings for the presence of lead-based paint, to perform lead-based paint abatement, and to pay the United States and the State of Illinois administrative penalties in the amount of $40,000. The defendants manage and/or own 25 buildings with over 650 residential units.

The Department of Justice will receive for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of this publication comments relating to the consent decrees. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General of the Environmental and Natural Resources Division, Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20530, and should refer to United States, et al., v. Oak Park Real Estate, Inc., et al., D.J.#90-5-1-1-07056.

The proposed consent decree may be examined at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Lead Hazard Control, attention: Matthew E. Ammon, 490 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Room 3206, Washington, DC 20410, [phone]; at the office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, 219 S. Dearborn Street, 5th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60604, and at U.S. EPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604. A copy of the proposed consent decree may also be obtained by mail from the Department of Justice Consent Decree Library, PO Box 7611, Washington, DC 20044. In requesting a copy please refer to the referenced case and enclose a check in the amount of $12.50 (25 cents per page reproduction costs), payable to the Consent Decree Library.

William D. Brighton,

Assistant Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division.