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. 

United States v. Revere, Massachusetts, City of, No. 1:10-cv-11460 (D. Mass. Oct. 25, 2023). Under a proposed first modification to a consent decree, a settling CWA defendant must update portions of its Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan and Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan by December 31, 2026. 

EPA announced the preliminary designation of stormwater discharges from certain commercial, industrial, and institutional sites in two watersheds in Los Angeles County, California, for regulation under the CWA NPDES permitting program. 

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. 

EPA entered into an administrative settlement agreement under which settling parties will transfer certain mining claims to the purchaser, which will in turn support the purchaser’s efforts to preserve the important historical structures on these mining claims at the Nelson Tunnel/Commodore Waste Rock Superfund Site in Mineral County, Colorado.

EPA entered into a proposed consent decree under the CWA in Arizona Mining Reform Coalition v. Guzman (D. Ariz.) that would obligate EPA to establish copper and lead TMDLs for Queen Creek, Arizona, by July 31, 2028, unless the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality first establishes and submits them to EPA by January 31, 2027.

NOAA announced that it is beginning the process to identify aquaculture opportunity areas in Alaska state waters to help sustainably advance invertebrate and seaweed aquaculture, in partnership with the state of Alaska. 

United States v. Dravo Corp., No. 8:01-cv-00500-JFB-TBT (D. Neb. Oct. 10, 2023). Under a proposed consent decree, a settling CERCLA defendant must pay $131,067 for response costs incurred and to be incurred by EPA at the Hastings Groundwater Contamination Superfund site.

United States v. Smith and Edwards Co., No. 1:23-cv-00108-HCN (D. Utah Sept. 29, 2023). Under a proposed consent decree, settling CERCLA defendants will pay $2,290,065 and $300,000 to reimburse EPA’s response costs in connection with an emergency removal action at the Ogden Swift Building Superfund site in Ogden, Utah, and settling federal agencies will pay $2,290,065 to resolve a potential counterclaim against the United States.

United States v. Stepan Co., No. 2:23-cv-20769-KM-JRA (D.N.J. Sept. 29, 2023). Under a proposed consent decree, a settling CERCLA defendant must perform response actions to address chemically contaminated soils at the Maywood Chemical Company Superfund site, pay future oversight costs, and pay $362,853.28 to the United States and $15,593.62 to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for past costs.