[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 155 (Friday, August 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 42227]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20137]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7028-6]
San Gabriel Superfund Site; Proposed Notice of Administrative
Settlement
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice; request for public comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund
Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. 9600 et
seq., notice is hereby given that a proposed Agreement and Covenant Not
to Sue (Prospective Purchaser Agreement) associated with the San
Gabriel Superfund Site was executed by the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) on August 2, 2001. The proposed Prospective
Purchaser Agreement would resolve certain potential claims of the
United States under sections 106 and 107(a) of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9606
and 9607(a) against Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, a Delaware
corporation, (the Purchaser). The Purchaser plans to acquire Aerojet-
General Corporation's (Aerojet) electronics plant, comprising
approximately seventy acres, located at 1100 West Hollyvale Avenue,
Azusa, California within the Baldwin Park Operable Unit (BPOU) of the
San Gabriel Valley Superfund Site. The Purchaser intends to use the
plant for the design and manufacture of space-based sensors and smart
weapons. The proposed settlement would provide the following benefits
to EPA: (1) The Purchaser will pay EPA $325,000 in cash, to be held in
reserve in a special account for future cleanup work at the BPOU, as
needed; (2) Aerojet, a potentially responsible party at the BPOU, will
pay EPA $9 million as partial reimbursement of its past costs to be
held in the same special account for the same purposes; and (3)
Aerojet's parent corporation, GenCorp Inc., will provide a written
guaranty of $25 million to assure Aerojet's performance of future
cleanup activities. Neither Aerojet nor GenCorp are signatories to the
Prospective Purchaser Agreement, however they have agreed to the
payment and guaranty to effect the sale.
For thirty (30) calendar days following the date of publication of
this notice, EPA will receive written comments relating to the proposed
settlement. If appropriate, prior to the expiration of this public
comment period, EPA may provide an opportunity for a public meeting in
the affected area. EPA's response to any comments received will be
available for public inspection at the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 10, 2001.
ADDRESSES: The proposed Prospective Purchaser Agreement and additional
background documents relating to the settlement are available for
public inspection at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 75
Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. The document can be accessed
through the Internet on EPA Region 9's Website located at: http://www.epa.gov/region09/waste/brown/ppa.html.
A copy of the proposed settlement may be obtained from Lewis
Maldonado, Senior Counsel (ORC-3), Office of Regional Counsel, U.S. EPA
Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Comments
should reference ``Northrop Grumman PPA, San Gabriel Superfund Site''
and ``Docket No. 2001-15'' and should be addressed to Lewis Maldonado
at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lewis Maldonado, Senior Counsel (ORC-
3), Office of Regional Counsel, U.S. EPA Region IX, 75 Hawthorne
Street, San Francisco, CA 94105; phone: (415) 744-1342; fax (415)744-
1041; e-mail: [email protected].
Dated: August 2, 2001.
John Kemmerer,
Acting Director, Superfund Division, U.S. EPA, Region IX.
[FR Doc. 01-20137 Filed 8-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P