ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

August 13,

1971

RICHARD

S. TAUBER

v.

)

PCB 71—171

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Opinion of the Board

(By Mr. Aldrich):

On March

31,

1971,

the B6ard entered an Order

in the case of

League of Women Voters of Illinois et al.

v. North Shore Sanitary

District,

PCB 70-7,

70-12,

70—13,

and 70-14, prohibiting any new

sewer connections

to facilities operated by the North Shore

Sanitary District until adequate treatment

is achieved..

Petitioner

seeks

a variance from that ruling in order to connect two existing

dwellings to the District~s sev~erlines.

The houses are presently vacant because the Lake County Health

Department has found the septic systems to be inadequate and a

hazard to public health,

Petitioner states that the lots

are too

small

to accomodate

a modern septic system and that the well on

one of the lots

is unlawfully close to the septic system.

Thus

alternative means of sewage treatment are unavailable.

Furthermore,

the vacant dwellings are prey to vermin and vandals.

Unless the

variance is granted,

the houses cannot be occupied for income

production or for protection of the properties.

The effect on the environment

if the variance

is granted is not

described in the petition.

Nevertheless,

we judge the potential

harm from the additional wastes

to be minimal in comparison with

the hardship accruing

to petitioner should his request be denied.

We will therefore grant

the variance.

The variance

is hereby granted subject to receipt of an affidavit

verifying the statements

in the petition.

This Opinion constitutes

the Board~sfindings, of fact and conclusions of law.

,I dissent

I, Regina

E.

Ryan, Clerk of the Pollution Control Board, hereby

certify that

the Board adopted the above opinion this ~day

of

1971.

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