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Department of Justice Announces Proposed Consent Decree Amendment for Youngstown, Ohio

Estimated reading time: 5–8 minutes

On June 6, 2025, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed Consent Decree Amendment with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The case is titled United States et al. v. City of Youngstown, Ohio, Case No. 4:98-CV-2438.

This proposed Amendment changes the Clean Water Act Consent Decree first entered in 2002. The Consent Decree and Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) had addressed violations related to sewage and stormwater releases from the City of Youngstown’s combined sewer system. The LTCP had been approved by the U.S. EPA and the State of Ohio in 2015.

The Amendment makes specific changes. First, it replaces the requirement to finish the “Wet Weather Facility Project” with a new requirement. The City must now complete the “CSO 6057 Control Measure Project.” This is an 80 million gallon per day (MGD) high-rate treatment facility. The facility will use cloth-disk filter media technology for the treatment of wet weather flows.

Second, the Amendment replaces Chapter 5 of the LTCP with a new Chapter 5. This includes a Revised Implementation Schedule. The new schedule requires Youngstown to complete the “West-Division Interceptor Sewer Replacement.” This project is needed to reduce combined sewer overflows.

The schedule for Phase 1 of the LTCP is changed as well. The changes set deadlines for the CSO 6057 Control Measure Project. The schedule for the “Mill Creek Project” will be compressed and accelerated. The Amendment also sets earlier deadlines to submit reports about new projects for LTCP Phase 2.

There is now a 30-day public comment period on the proposed Consent Decree Amendment. Comments should be sent to the Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division. Comments must mention United States et al. v. City of Youngstown, Ohio, D.J. Ref. No. 90-5-1-1-4383.

Comments must be received within thirty days after June 12, 2025. Comments can be sent by email to the address listed in the notice, or by mail to:

Assistant Attorney General, U.S. DOJ–ENRD,
P.O. Box 7611,
Washington, DC 20044-7611.

Written comments may be made part of the public record.

During the comment period, the full Consent Decree Amendment can be read and downloaded at: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. Anyone needing help accessing the document can contact the Department of Justice by email or mail at the addresses given above.

Laura Thoms, the Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division, submitted this notice.

Reference: Federal Register, Volume 90, Number 112, June 12, 2025, Page 24817.


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