Notice2025-01652

Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Clean Air Act

Primary source

Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.

Published
January 24, 2025

Issuing agencies

Justice Department

Full Text

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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 15 (Friday, January 24, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 8160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01652]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under the Clean Air 
Act

    On January 17, 2025, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed 
consent decree with the United States District Court for the District 
of New Mexico in the lawsuit titled United States of America and New 
Mexico Environment Department v. HF Sinclair Navajo Refining LLC, Civil 
Action No. 1:25-cv-00054.
    In this action, the United States, on behalf of the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, and the New Mexico Environment 
Department filed a complaint alleging that HF Sinclair Navajo Refining, 
LLC (``Defendant'') violated provisions of the Clean Air Act (``CAA''), 
the New Mexico Air Quality Control Act, and their implementing 
regulations, including emissions and performance standards related to: 
refinery fenceline emissions, benzene waste, storage tanks, flaring, 
and equipment leaks, resulting in excess volatile organic compounds 
(``VOC'') and hazardous air pollutants (``HAP'') at its Artesia, New 
Mexico refinery (``Refinery''). The complaint seeks an Order enjoining 
Defendant from further violating applicable requirements and requiring 
Defendant to remedy, mitigate, and offset the harm to public health and 
the environment caused by the violations and to pay a civil penalty.
    Under the proposed settlement, Defendant agrees to pay a civil 
penalty of $35,000,000 (of which $17,500,000 is to be paid to the 
United States and $17,500,000 is to be paid to the State of New 
Mexico).
    In addition, Defendant will implement an injunctive relief program 
that includes: installation of a flare gas recovery system, wastewater 
system capital projects, storage tank capital projects, and enhanced 
monitoring of equipment to reduce to reduce VOC and HAP emissions.
    The publication of this notice opens a period for public comment on 
the proposed consent decree. Comments should be addressed to the 
Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, 
and should refer to United States and New Mexico Environment Department 
v. HF Sinclair Navajo Refining LLC, D.J. Ref. No. 90-5-2-1-2228/2. All 
comments must be submitted no later than thirty (30) days after the 
publication date of this notice. Comments may be submitted either by 
email or by mail:

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         To submit comments:                     Send them to:
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By email............................  <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d9a9acbbbab6b4b4bcb7adf4bcbcaaf7bcb7abbd99acaabdb6b3f7beb6af"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7a0a0f18191517171f140e571f1f09541f14081e3a0f091e1510541d150c">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.
By mail.............................  Assistant Attorney General, U.S.
                                       DOJ--ENRD, P.O. Box 7611,
                                       Washington, DC 20044-7611.
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    Any comments submitted in writing may be filed by the United States 
in whole or in part on the public court docket without notice to the 
commenter.
    During the public comment period, the proposed consent decree may 
be examined and downloaded at this Justice Department website: <a href="http://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees">http://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees</a>. If you require assistance 
accessing the proposed consent decree, you may request assistance by 
email or by mail to the addresses provided above for submitting 
comments.

Thomas Carroll,
Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment 
and Natural Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 2025-01652 Filed 1-23-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-15-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on January 24, 2025.

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