ILLINOIS POLLUTION
CONTROL BOARD
July 25, 1972
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
)
I
v.
I
PCB 72—100
CITY OF NASHVILLE
Thomas
J
•
Immel for the Environmental Protection Agency
Clarence
Defloss for the City of Nashville
Opinion and Order of the Board (by Mr. Aldrich):
The Environmental Protection Agency filed a complaint March 14, 1972,
against the City of Nashville, Washington County, Illinois, for
improper operation of a sanitary landfill. The complaint alleged
that Respondent was guilty of several violations of the Environ-
mental Protection Act or of Rules and Regulations for Refuse
Disposal Sites and Facilities: 1) causing or allowing open burning
on 12 dates between July 13, 1970 and January 28, 1972 Sec. 9(c)
of the Act and Rules 3.05 and. 5.12(d); 2) threatening or allowing
discharges so as to cause water pollution on 4 dates from April 28,
1971 to January 28,1972 (Sec. 12(a) of the Act; 3) depositing
refuse in standing water on 4 dates from April 28, 1971 to
January 28, 1972, (Rule 5.12(c); 4) failing to properly cover
refuse on 5 dates from July 8, 1971, to January 28, 1972 (Rule 5.07
(a); and 5) open dumping of garbage and refuse on 6 dates from
April 28, 1971, to January 28, 1972 (Sec. 21(a) and (b) of the
Act and Rule 3.04.
On July 3, 1972, the Parties submitted a STIPULATION and suggested
conditions for a settlement in lieu of a public hearing. The
Agency agreed to withdraw the allegation of threatening to cause
water pollution by the discharge of contaminants, iteut 2 in the
above paragraph. The City agreed that allegations 1, 3, 4, and 5
in the above paragraph were true and uncontested. Respondent is
considering alternative means of disposal and agrees to report
the results of its deliberations within 120 days. In the mean-
time, Respondent agrees to abide by a cease and desist order. The
City is agreeable to posting a performance bond. The Parties
leave the question of penalty to the discretion of the Board.
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This Board is on record as favoring a reduction in time and expense
of litigation whenever it is possible to arrive at an equitable
settlement which serves the purpose of the Environmental Protection
Act without a hearing. (See EPA v. Charles R. Rhodes, PCB 7l~-53,
September 16, 1971; EPA v. Custom Farm Services, Inc. PCB 71-312,
September 21, 1971; EPA v. Solid Waste Disposal Company, PCB 71-236,
February 3, 1972; and EPA v. Russell, Burdsall
&
Ward Bolt and
Nut Co. PCB 71—369, June 27, 1972).
This is another case in which the proposed settlement, if accepted,
offers no opportunity for public comment. The Parties state
in the STIPULATION that neither, has been contacted by the public
expressing an interest in a public hearing. We do not know whether
this is because of unconcern or because the citizens are unaware
of the proposed settlement. The Board will soon propose a change
in its Rules wh:Lch will establish a procedure more in keeping with
the intent of the Act which was to assure an opportunity for
public comment in the hearings. The instant case is relatively
minor in terms of environmental impact or potential nuisance. The
proposed terms are reasonable and. will be effective. We shall
accept them and assess an appropriate menalty for past violations.
ORDER
1. The City of Nashville shall diligently pursue an alternative
means for disposal of its refuse ar~dreport progress to that
end to the Board ho later than’ November 25, 1972.
2. The City of Nashville shall cease and desist from violations
of the Act and Rules and Regulations for Refuse Disposal
Sites and Facilities.
3. The City of Nashville shall post a $1000 ~orformance bond with
the Environmental Protection Agency to be forfeited in case
the City fails to adhere to any of the conditions of this Order.
4. The City of Nashville shall pay a penalty of $250 to the State
of Illinois and send same to the Environmental Protection
Agency, Fiscal Services Division, 2200 Churchill Road, Spring-
field, Illinois 62701
I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board,
~ereby certify that the above Opinion and Order was adopted this
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of July, 1972, by a vote of _____to C
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