ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
September 18,
1975
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
)
Complainant,
vs.
)
PCB 72—79
SANGAMO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY,
Respondent.
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by Mr.
Heriss):
On October
31,
1972 the Pollution Control Board found that
Sangamo Construction Company had caused air pollution in
violation of SectEon 9(a) of the Environmental Protection Act;
had violated Section 3-2.110 of the Rules and Regulations of
the Air Pollution Control Board by failing to secure
a permit
for its concrete plant; had also operated its asphalt plant
without a permit.
A $5,000 penalty wa~imposed for these
three violations.
The Appellate Court,
4th Judicial District of
Illinois,
found that Sangamo admitted its permit violation in the oper-
ation of the concrete plant, and further found that there was
sufficient evidence that Sangarno had violated Section 9(a)
of
the Act.
However,
the Appellate Court found that there was no
permit violation in the operation of the asphalt plant.
There-
fore, the Appellate Court reversed that part of the Pollution
Control Board Order which had imposed the $5,000 penalty and
remanded
the
case to the Board for reimposition of penalties
on the Section
9(a) violation and the concrete planL permit
violation.
The elements of the violations have already been established
in the written Opinions previously issued by the Board and by
the Appellate Court.
We will not repeat the evidence at length.
We find from our consideration of the evidence that the
permit violation was for an unusually long time period.
It
appears that Sangarno paid little attention to its environmental
obligation
for some
2 1/2 years.
The permit system is the
cornerstone of environmental control and must be enforced.
For
long standing violations of this type a penalty of $1500 is
appropriate.
18—494
—2—
The Section
9(a) violation is assessed at a higher level
than the permit violation,
since there is direct evidence of
the actual impact on people in the community.
Sanqamo’s
emissions brought complaints from employees of nearby businesses,
and adversely and unreasonably affected those business operations
in addition to unreasonably interfering with the health and the
enjoyment of life of individuals.
The concrete plant had obvious
social and economic value, but according to the evidence, is no
longer operating.
Its location did not affect residences.
The
pollution control devices which were installed by Sangamo did
reduce emissions but there was delay
in the installation and use
of such devices.
It was technically feasible to reduce the
emissions at an earlier date.
For the Section
9(a) violation we
assess
a penalty of $2500.
This Opinion constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions
of law of the Illinois Pollution Control Board.
ORDER
It is the Order of the Pollution Control Board
that:
Respondent Sangamo Construction Company shall pay to the
State of
Illinois by November 1,
1975 the sum of~$4,000 as
a penalty for the violations found in this proceeding.
Penalty payment by certified check or money order payable
to the State of Illinois shall be made to:
Fiscal Services
Division, Illinois EPA, 2200 Churchill Rc~c, Springfield,
Illinois 62706.
I,
Christan
L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, he~ebycertify the ab ye
pinion and Order was adop ed
the ___________day
of
,
1975 by a vote of
—~
c~JJ
Christan L.
Moffett,(
r
Illinois Pollution
rol Board
18
—
495