EPA entered into a proposed CERCLA §122(g)(4) de minimus landowner administrative settlement agreement for parties associated with the Fansteel Metals/FMRI Superfund site in Muskogee, Oklahoma. 

United States v. Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor LLC, No. 23-381 (N.D. Ind. Nov. 8, 2023). Under a proposed consent decree, a settling CERCLA defendant that allegedly released cyanide and ammonia into the East Branch of the Little Calumet River during an August 2019 incident, which led to beach closures, a fish kill, and other natural resource damages, must donate and conserve two approximately one-acre parcels of land bordering the East Branch of the Little Calumet River and near the Indiana Dunes National Park, pay $409,533 to the DOI Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Fund, and pay $590,173 to the governments for reimbursement of natural resource damages assessment costs.

EPA solicited information pertaining to and seeks comments to assist in the potential development of regulations to reinstate the reporting of animal waste air emissions at farms under EPCRA. 

EPA announced the availability of new information and data pertaining to the Agency’s May 18, 2023, proposed rulemaking on the Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) From Electric Utilities; Legacy CCR Surface Impoundments. 

United States v. ACF Industries LLC, No. 3:23-cv-1603 (D. Or. Nov. 1, 2023). Under two proposed consent decrees, settling CERCLA, CWA, and OPA defendants whose facilities along the Willamette River released hazardous substances must pay cash and/or purchase restoration credits in one or more restoration projects approved by the Natural Resource Trustees to create habitat for injured natural resources, and make payments for the public’s lost recreational use of the river, for monitoring of culturally significant plants and animals, and for reimbursement of the Natural Resource Trustees’ costs. 

FWS established a nonessential experimental population of the gray wolf in Colorado under the ESA. 

FWS removed the plants island bedstraw and Santa Cruz Island dudleya from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants on the basis of recovery. 

In order to comply with a district court order, FWS reinstated regulatory protections under the ESA for the gray wolf in all or portions of the 45 U.S. states and Mexico, where the species was listed at the time the delisting rule was issued. 

EPA proposed to enter into an administrative settlement agreement under CERCLA with Cone Mills Acquisition Group, LLC, concerning remedial action/remedial design to be performed at the U.S. Finishing, LLC and Cone Mills Corporation Superfund Site. 

EPA proposed to enter into individual settlements with three parties concerning recovery of CERCLA costs for cleanup that was performed at the Bennett Landfill Fire Site located in Chester, South Carolina.