ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
January 6, 2005
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
Complainant,
v.
RALPH STONE, Mayor of the Village of
Gorham,
Respondent.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
PCB
05-78
(Enforcement - Air)
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by J.P. Novak):
On November 3, 2004, the Office of the Attorney General, on behalf of the People of the
State of Illinois (People), filed a complaint against Ralph Stone.
See
415 ILCS 5/31(c)(1)
(2002); 35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.204. The complaint concerns Ralph Stone’s demolition of the
closed Gorham High School facility at the corner of Washington and Walnut Streets, Gorham,
Jackson County.
The People allege that Ralph Stone violated Section 9.1(d)(1) of the Environmental
Protection Act (Act)(415 ILCS 5/9.1(d)(1) (2002)) and 40 C.F.R. 61.145(a), (b)(1), and (c)(9)
and 61.150(b). The People further allege that Ralph Stone violated these provisions by (1)
failing to conduct a thorough inspection for asbestos prior to beginning demolition; (2) failing to
provide written notice of demolition to the Agency prior to beginning demolition; and (3) failing
to use proper work practices, including not having a trained a person trained in asbestos removal
and failing to properly wet asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) during removal, thereby
allowing emission of asbestos fibers.
The parties now seek to settle the case. On December 23, 2004, the People and Ralph
Stone filed a stipulation and proposed settlement, accompanied by a request for relief from the
hearing requirement of Section 31(c)(1) of the Act (415 ILCS 5/31(c)(1) (2002)). This filing is
authorized by Section 31(c)(2) of the Act (415 ILCS 5/31(c)(2) (2002)).
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code
103.300(a). Under the proposed stipulation, the Ralph Stone neither admits nor denies the
alleged violations but agrees to pay a civil penalty of $500.
Unless the Board determines that a hearing is needed, the Board must cause notice of the
stipulation, proposed settlement, and request for relief from the hearing requirement. Any person
may file a written demand for hearing within 21 days after receiving the notice. If anyone timely
files a written demand for hearing, the Board will deny the parties’ request for relief and hold a
hearing. 415 ILCS 5/31(c)(2) (2002); 35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.300(b), (c). The Board directs the
Clerk of the Board to provide the required notice.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
2
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, certify that the Board
adopted the above order on January 6, 2005, by a vote of 5-0.
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board