ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
May 2, 1985
IN THE MATTER OF:
C.S. NORCROSS & SONS CO.
)
PETITION FOR A SITE-SPECIFIC
OPERATIONAL LEVEL PURSUANT
)
R83—31
TO 35 ILL. ADM. CODE. 901.105(d)
ADOPTED RULE. FINAL OPINION AND ORDER.
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by J. Marlin):
In its proposed Opinion and Order of December 6, 1984, the
Board proposed to adopt a new rule, 35 Ill. Adm. Code 901.120.
First notice of this proposal was published at 9 Ill. Reg. 29 on
January 4, 1985. The first notice comment period expired on
February 19, 1985. The Administrative Code Unit submitted a
comment on January 24, 1985 concerning Illinois Register first
notice format. No other comments have been received.
By Order of the Board dated February 20, 1985, the proposed
rule was submitted to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules
(JCAR). Second notice review commenced on February 28, 1985.
JCAR issued a Certification on No Objection on April 16, 1985
which ended the second notice period.
This rulemaking was initiated on November 18, 1983 when C.S.
Norcross & Sons Co. (CSN) petitioned for a site—specific
operational level for its forging shop as an alternative to
compliance with the noise limits contained in 35 Ill. Adm. Code
901.105 (Old Rule 206 of Chapter 8). The Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency (Agency) filed its response. A public hearing
was held in Peoria, Illinois on March 12, 1984. No members of
the public or press attended. This hearing was scheduled with
three other similar forging noise cases involving central
Illinois shops in order to conserve the time and funds of all the
parties involved. Additional economic information requested by
the Illinois Department of Energy an~Natural Resources (DENR)
was submitted on July 29, 1984. A negative declaration was filed
by the DENR on September 28, 1984. The Economic and Technical
Advisory Committee concurred on November 1, 1984.
Section 901.105(d) allows an existing forging shop to
petition the Board for a site—specific operational plan which
*The Board acknowledges the work of Kevin F. Duerinck, hearing
officer and admiiiistrative assistant for this rulemaking.
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will limit noise emissions from the shop. Petitioner must
demonstrate that it is technically and economically infeasible
for its shop to meet the numerical limits. Petitioner must also
propose measures to reduce impulsive noise where possible and
assess the consequential health and welfare impacts on the
surrounding community.
CSN is located at the intersection of Davis and Dean
Streets, Bushnell, Illinois. Its complex covers two square
blocks. To the north are residences and to the east another
forging facility, a railroad line, commercial buildings and some
residences. To the south is manufacturing and a few
residences. The remainder of CSN’s facilities are to the west.
All the property surrounding the forge when it was built in
1906 was largely vacant with only a few residences. The forge
shop itself is marked as department C on Exhibit B to the
petition. The building is 116 feet long, 88 feet wide, and 22
feet high. CSN produces forgings for the agricultural and
trucking industry. The forge shop contains twelve forging
hammers weighing 800 to 5,000 pounds apiece and thirteen
furnaces. The 2200°F heat from the furnaces raises the
temperature of the shop appreciably. Grade level openings on the
west and south walls draw fresh air into the building and the six
fans on the roof draw warm air out.
The forging hammers currently operate from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00
a.m., six days per week. Historically, at peak capacity the
hammers have been operated during three shifts (24 hours). At
peak capacity, 170 people were employed compared with the current
120 people. CSN requests that it be allowed to operate its
twelve hammers up to six days per week, from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00
a.m. Monday through Saturday (Petition at 9).
Production at CSN has declined recently as is shown by the
table below. This decline resulted in less hammer blows and less
impulsive noise. The production decline is expected to continue
during 1983.
Total forgings
No. of
Tonnage of all
on hammers
blows/yr.
forgings
1980
2,848,000
28,480,000
5,000
1981
3,778,000
37,780,000
6,600
1982
970,000
9,700,000
1,700
Permissible impulsive sound levels for existing forge shops
are found at 35 Ill. Adm. Code 901.105. The impulsive sound
level emitted to residences (Class A land) cannot exceed 58.5 Leq
during the day or 53.5 Leg at night. As to commercial
establishments (Class B), the level cannot exceed 64.5 Leq.
Based upon actual noise level measurements, Exhibit A to the
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petition shows that the maximum noise level is 70 Leq.
Approximately 45 residences potentially could be exposed to sound
levels in excess of 53.5 Leq. The noise level and the number of
residences exposed to a certain noise level will vary depending
on wind velocity and direction. CSN received a few noise
complaints when it operated three shifts. One was from 1974,
another from 1976.
Various measures have been proposed to reduce the sound
levels at CSN. The addition of more fans and silencers to the
present roof is infeasible because the roof will not accept the
added weight (Exh. D to Petition). All other measures are
similarly technically or economically infeasible. The forge shop
is surrounded by either easements or public rights—of—way, making
it impossible to install noise control structures. To implement
the recommended measures, $261,600 would have to be spent. A CSN
representative stated that this would force CSN to shutdown (R.
10).
CSN has tried to control excessive noise at its forge
shop. A building on the north side of Davis Street was built as
a barrier between CSN and residences. In addition, a noise
absorbent material has been sprayed on the forge shop walls.
While this has been somewhat effective, the incidence of fire has
increased. This material absorbs an oil mist from the forging
operation, which may then ignite from sparks from the hammers.
The noise levels were measured with these abatement measures
already in place.
The Board proposes granting CSN’s site—specific operational
level for twelve hammers, 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., Monday through
Saturday. CSN’s noise consultant does not foresee any adverse
health effects from 70 Leg (R. 14). The Agency states that there
would be no danger of hearing loss to area residents (Agency
Response at 4).
Although no specific numerical noise level limitations are
being imposed, it is assumed that noise levels will approximate
those testified to by CSN and its witnesses. CSN should make
efforts to lessen noise levels in the future as equipment is
replaced and new technology for noise suppression become
available.
The following operational plan as set out below will be
incorporated into 35 Ill.Adm. Code 901.120. CSN will be
required to comply upon the filing of the rule with the Secretary
of State.
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ORDER
The Board hereby adopts the following rule, to be codified
as 35 Ill. Adm. Code 901.120 and instructs the Clerk to file this
rule with the Secretary of State.
TITLE 35: ENVIRONMENTAL PROT~CTION
SUBTITLE H: NOISE
CHAPTER I: POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
PART 901
SOUND EMISSION STANDARDS AND LIMITATIONS
FOR PROPERTY LINE-NOISE—SOURCES
Section 901.120
C.S. Norcross Operational Level
C.S. Norcross & Sons Company and future owners of the forging
facility located at the intersection of Davis and Dean
Streets, Bushnell, Illinois, shall comply with the following
site—specific operational level:
a) Operate no more than twelve forging hammers at any one
time; and
b) Operate its forging hammers only between the hours of
7:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. Monday throug.h Saturday.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, hereby certify tJ~atthe above Opinion and Order was
adopted on the c~-
day of
__________________,
1985
by a vote of
_________________
Dorothy M. unn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board
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