FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	ENR

MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1998                                                                                                                              (202) 514-2008

                                                                                                                                                                                TDD (202) 514-1888







U.S., GEORGIA, ATLANTA AGREE TO MASSIVE


ENVIRONMENTAL SETTLEMENT TO FIX CITY'S SEWER SYSTEM








	WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The federal government, Georgia, and
Atlanta today agreed to an environmental settlement, estimated at
several hundred million dollars, to upgrade Atlanta's sewer system
which regulators and a citizens group have alleged has been
spilling partially treated sewage into nearby waters throughout the
city for several years.

	"This agreement is a big first step towards cleaner, healthier
water for the people of Atlanta," said Lois Schiffer, Assistant
Attorney General in charge of the Justice Department's Environment
and Natural Resources Division.  "We will continue our enforcement
efforts to ensure the people of Atlanta have a wastewater treatment
system that works."

	Under the proposed agreement announced at a U.S. District
Court hearing today, Atlanta will pay a $2.5 million penalty to
resolve alleged federal Clean Water Act violations, spend $27.5
million cleaning the city's rivers and streams and preserving
riverbank property, and replace part of the city's antiquated sewer
system at an estimated cost of several hundred million dollars.

	In November 1997, the Court found Atlanta liable for
discharging sewage with high levels of fecal material and other
pollutants into area rivers and streams over the past several
years, violating the federal Clean Water Act.  The court's ruling
stemmed from a lawsuit brought a local citizens group known as
Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

	Once the proposed settlement is signed by the parties and
approved by the Atlanta City Council, it will be filed with the
court for final approval.  At the same time, the parties will
continue to negotiate a larger settlement designed to resolve the
rest of the problems with Atlanta's sewage and wastewater treatment
system.

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