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

On December 22, 2017, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed modification to a Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana in United States and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality v. Cabot Corporation, Civil Case No. 13-3095 (W.D. La.).

The original Consent Decree was entered on March 13, 2014, and resolved civil claims under the Clean Air Act at the Defendant's three carbon black manufacturing facilities located in Louisiana and Texas. The Consent Decree imposed various pollution control requirements on Defendant's facilities, including requirements related to sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter emissions. At the Canal and Ville Platte facilities in Louisiana, these pollution control requirements included, among other requirements, installation of Wet Gas Scrubber (“WGS”) systems designed to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions, and Selective Catalytic Reduction (“SCR”) systems to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. The WGS systems are also expected to result in an ancillary reduction in particulate matter emissions. On May 5, 2017, the Court entered a First Modification of Consent Decree extending certain compliance deadlines in the Consent Decree.

The parties have now agreed to further modify certain Consent Decree deadlines. The modification resolves issues regarding the feasibility of the affected deadlines and resolves a potential dispute between the parties concerning them. The modification does not change Defendant's ultimate obligation to install and operate pollution controls at its facilities.

The publication of this notice opens a period for public comment on the proposed further modification to the Consent Decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, and should refer to United States and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality v. Cabot Corporation, Civil Case No. 13-3095 (W.D. La.), D.J. Ref. No. 90-5-2-1-10355. 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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