Environmental Protection Agency March 10, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 92-463, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hereby provides notice that the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) will host a public teleconference meeting on Thursday, March 31, 2011, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern Time. The primary topic of discussion will be EPA's charge to the NEJAC on ensuring long-term engagement of communities in Gulf Coast eco-system restoration efforts. This NEJAC public teleconference meeting is open to the public. There will be a public comment period from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern Time. Members of the public are encouraged to provide comments relevant to the topic of the meeting. Specifically, comments should respond to how best to: 1. Engage minority, low-income, and tribal/indigenous communities for input into decisions about Gulf Coast restoration plans, particularly for the impacts of such plans on permitting and how best to facilitate the participation of immigrant populations and communities with potential language barriers. 2. Consider indigenous, cultural, and historical concerns during restoration and recovery. 3. Identify any regulatory and policy hurdles that impede, complicate, or discourage sustained community engagement in decisions about restoration and recovery. For additional information about registering to attend the meeting or to provide public comment, please see the ``REGISTRATION'' and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION sections below. Due to a limited number of telephone lines, attendance will be on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no fee to attend, but pre-registration is required. Registration for the teleconference meeting closes at 11 a.m., Eastern Time, on Wednesday, March 23, 2011. The deadline to sign-up for public comment, or to submit written public comments, is also March 23, 2011.

In accordance with the requirements of section 122(i)(1) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. 9622(i)(1), notice is hereby given of a Settlement Agreement under Sections 104, 106(a), 107, and 122 of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9604, 9606(a), 9607, and 9622, between the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Jerry Thomas and Katrina Thomas (Settling Parties) regarding the Richfield PCE Site (Site), located at 345 North 700 East, Richfield, Sevier County, Utah. This Settlement Agreement proposes to compromise a claim the United States has at this Site for Past Response Costs, as those terms are defined in the Settlement Agreement. Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, EPA and the Settling Parties agree that the Settling Parties have no ability to pay and the Settling Parties (1) agree not to assert any claims or causes of action against the United States or its contractors or employees with respect to the Site and (2) agree to record an executed environmental covenant, between Settling Parties, EPA and Utah Department of Environmental Quality, requiring certain activity and use limitations. In exchange, the Settling Parties will be granted a covenant not to sue under section 107(a) of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9607(a), with regard to reimbursement of Past Response Costs. Opportunity for Comment: For thirty (30) days following the publication of this notice, EPA will consider all comments received and may modify or withdraw its consent to that portion of the Settlement Agreement, if comments received disclose facts or considerations which indicate that the settlement is inappropriate, improper, or inadequate. EPA's response to any comments received will be available for public inspection at the Superfund Record Center, EPA Region 8, 1595 Wynkoop Street, 3rd Floor, in Denver, Colorado.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (``CERCLA'' or ``the Act''), as amended, requires that the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (``NCP'') include a list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States. The National Priorities List (``NPL'') constitutes this list. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'' or ``the Agency'') in determining which sites warrant further investigation. These further investigations will allow EPA to assess the nature and extent of public health and environmental risks associated with the site and to determine what CERCLA-financed remedial action(s), if any, may be appropriate. This rule adds ten sites to the NPL, all to the General Superfund Section.