ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
March 15, 1973
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
Complainant,
vs.
)
PCB 72-498
R. H. BOUDET, Respondent.
Dale Turner, Assistant Attorney General for the EPA
R. H. Boudet, Pro Se
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by Mr. Henss)
Respondent is prosecuted for the open dumping of refuse
along a township road near the Jackson County Landfill on
Saturday afternoon March 18, 1972. The area where the dumping
occurred was at one time used by the public for promiscuous
dumping to such an extent that piles of trash littered the road-
side for about 1/2 mile. The promiscuous dump site was under
surveillance by an EPA investigator and the environmental
officer of Consolidated Coal Company, owner of nearby land, at
the time Respondent appeared on the scene. Respondent first
drove his pickup truck to the County Landfill but discovered
that the gate was closed and locked. He then drove about 200
yards to an area where a quantity of trash littered the roadside
and proceeded to shovel some of the refuse from his pickup truck.
The refuse consisted of cans, bottles, a furnace filter and a
plastic garbage can. Respondent shoveled about 1/4 of his load
onto the roadside area before he was interrupted by the EPA
investigator.
Mr. Boudet asked if he should pick up the refuse which he
had abandoned but then left without doing so. He states that
the EPA investigator told him it would make no difference if
he picked it up. Both prosecution witnesses testified that
Respondent was advised to pick up the refuse. Respondent
testified that he did, in fact, go back to the area and collect
his refuse, or as much of it as he could identify, after being
contacted by the County Health Department regarding the matter.
Photographs taken by the prosecution witnesses show Respondent
standing in the rear of his pickup truck, shovel in hand, surrounded
by refuse in the truck and on the ground.
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311
—2—
Respondent testified that after he discovered the County
Landfill was locked, he observed this area, thought it was a
dump and decided to use it for that purpose.
Mrs. Boudet in her testimony, observed that Respondent “just
got caught doing something thousands of people are doing”, (R. 47)
and that Respondent had been trapped into the situation when he
discovered the County Landfill was closed.
The evidence clearly proves Respondent guilty of the open
dumping of refuse at an unapproved site. It is obvious from the
testimony that other people were also guilty of the same conduct.
However, violations are not excused by reason of the fact that
others also are violating the law. For a single violation of
this type we believe a monetary penalty in the amount of q~o.oo
is appropriate. Evidence of repeated violations would justify
a higher penalty.
ORDER
It is ordered that:
1. Respondent cease and desist from the violations
found in this Opinion.
2. Respondent shall pay to the State of Illinois by
April 20, 1973 the sum of $50
a penalty for
the violation 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
Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62706.
I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, ereby certify the above Opinion and Order was adopted
this
/
~
day of March, 1973 by a vote of
~/
to
0
7-- 312
ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
March 15, 1973
LAKE
WILDWOOD LANDOWNERS’ ASSOC.
#72—503
vs.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
ORDER OF
THE
BOARD (BY SAMUEL T. LAWTON, JR.):
On oral representation to the Clerk of the Board, that petitioner
desires the withdrawal of the petition for variance filed herein,
said petition is accordingly withdrawn. The Board requests a
written
verification of this request from petitioner.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Christan Moffett, Clerk of
the
Illinois Pollution Control Board,
certify that the above Order was adopted on the
/
‘~‘day of March,
1973, by a vote of ~ to
-
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313