[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 13 (Thursday, January 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3107-3108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-00992]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9384-01-R8]


Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent: Rico-
Argentine Site, Rico, Dolores County, Colorado

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of proposed agreement; request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of the Comprehensive

[[Page 3108]]

Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as 
amended (``CERCLA''), notice is hereby given of the proposed settlement 
under CERCLA, between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(``EPA''), and Atlantic Richfield Company (``Settling Party'') to 
resolve its alleged civil liability at the Rico-Argentine Site in 
Dolores County, Colorado. For thirty (30) days following the date of 
publication of this notice, the Agency will receive written comments 
relating to the agreement. The Agency will consider all comments 
received and may modify or withdraw its consent to the agreement if 
comments received disclose facts or considerations that indicate that 
the agreement is inappropriate, improper, or inadequate.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 22, 2022.

ADDRESSES: To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, for this action 
we do not plan to offer hard copy review of the docket. Comments and 
requests for a copy of the proposed agreement should be addressed to 
Anntasia Copeland, Enforcement Specialist, Superfund and Emergency 
Management Division, Environmental Protection Agency--Region 8, Mail 
Code 8SEM-PAB, 1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver, Colorado 80202, (303) 312-
6764, [email protected] and should reference the Rico-Argentine 
Site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amelia Piggott, Senior Assistant 
Regional Counsel, Office of Regional Counsel, Environmental Protection 
Agency--Region 8, Mail Code 8ORC-LEC, 1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver, 
Colorado 80202, (303) 312-6410, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed Settlement Agreement is for the 
performance of a removal action by the Settling Party and the payment 
of certain response costs incurred by the United States. This 
Settlement supersedes and replaces in its entirety, and, as of the 
Effective Date, terminates the Unilateral Administrative Order for 
Removal Action, docket number CERCLA-08-2011-0005 (UAO) that EPA issued 
to the Settling Party on March 17, 2011, under which Respondent has 
implemented certain response actions, including addressing settling 
ponds and constructing a pilot water treatment system to treat acid 
mine drainage coming from the St. Louis Tunnel. The purpose of this 
Settlement is to provide for: Settling Party's payment of certain past 
response costs, as well as design, construction, operation, and 
monitoring of a full-scale water treatment system to remove hazardous 
substances from the St. Louis Tunnel discharge, hydraulic control 
measures for the collapsed St. Louis Tunnel adit, and solids management 
facilities; and EPA's oversight of the implementation of such Work at 
the Site. The Settling Party consents to and will not contest the 
authority of the United States to enter into the Agreement or to 
implement or enforce its terms. The Settling Party recognizes that the 
Agreement has been negotiated in good faith and that the Agreement is 
entered into without the admission or adjudication of any issue of fact 
or law.

Betsy Smidinger,
Division Director, Superfund and Emergency Management Division, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII.
[FR Doc. 2022-00992 Filed 1-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


