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.

United States v. Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority, No. 23-cv-00225 (E.D. Tenn. Sept. 29, 2023). Under a proposed consent decree, a settling CWA defendant that allegedly discharged to waters of the United States without an NPDES permit and violated the operations and maintenance conditions of its NPDES permit must perform injunctive relief and pay a civil penalty of $598,490.

EPA announced its intent to approve revisions to Texas' Public Water System Supervision program.

United States v. Waco Oil & Gas Co., Inc., No. 23-cv-00078 (N.D.W. Va. Sept. 28, 2023). Under a proposed consent decree, a settling CWA defendant that discharged pollutants without a permit into waters of the United States must restore impacted areas, perform mitigation, and pay a civil penalty.