[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 251 (Thursday, December 31, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72328-72329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34716]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, Clean Water Act and the Emergency
Planning and Community Right To Know Act
Notice is hereby given that on November 30, 1998, a proposed
consent degree in United States v. Pfizer Inc., Civil Action No. 398-
CV-2317-CLG, was lodged with the United States District Court for the
District of Connecticut.
This action alleges violations of the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Emergency Planning and
Community Right to Know Act against defendant Pfizer Inc. (``Pfizer'')
at its facility located in Groton, Connecticut. The violations involve
the improper management of hazardous waste, discharges of pollutants
into the Thames River in excess of Pfizer's National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (``NPDES'') permits limits, discharges and
spills not authorized by Pfizer's NPDES permit, and failure to comply
with reporting and recordkeeping requirements relating to the emitting
of toxic chemicals from the Groton facility.
The consent decree provides that Pfizer will pay a civil penalty of
$625,000 and implement injunctive relief to ensure future compliance
with the relevant statutory and regulatory provisions at issue. In
addition, Pfizer will implement a supplemental environmental project
(``SEP'') at a present value cost of not less than $150,000. The SEP
involves the assessment of hazardous waste management practices at a
New England university, development of tools to
[[Page 72329]]
improve hazardous waste management at the university, and
implementation of those tools. The SEP also involves training for other
universities based on what is learned in connection with the primary
facility and making available to other universities the software and
guidance tools that are developed. In addition to the SEP, Pfizer will
conduct seven training sessions for Connecticut high school, vocational
school and junior college teachers relating to hazardous waste
management issues.
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. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant
Attorney General of the Environment and Natural Resources Division,
Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. 20530, and should refer to
United States v. Pfizer, Inc., Civil Action No. 398-CV-2317-CLG, D.J.
Ref. 90-7-1-795, 90-7-1-795Z.
The proposed consent decree may be examined at the Region I Office
of the Environmental Protection Agency, One Congress Street, Boston,
Massachusetts, 02203 (contact Andrea Simpson, 617-918-1738) and at the
Consent Decree Library, 1120 G Street, N.W., 3rd 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., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005. In requesting a
copy, please enclose a check in the amount of $22.25 (25 cents per page
reproduction cost) payable to the Consent Decree Library.
Joel M. Gross,
Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural
Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 98-34716 Filed 12-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-M
