ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
September
3,
1981
ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
)
AGENCY,
Complainant,
)
v.
)
PCB 80—177
MCLEAN COUNTY SERVICE COMPANY,
)
an Illinois Corporation,
Respondent.
MS. MARY JO MURRAY, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, APPEARED ON
BEHALF OF THE COMPLAINANT.
MR. PAUL
R. WELCH, COSTIGAN
& WOLLRAB,
AND MR. DANNY J.
LEIFEL,
APPEARED ON BEHALF OF THE RESPONDENT.
ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by J.D. Dumelle):
On September 30, 1980 the Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency (Agency)
filed this enforcement action against the McLean
County Service Company (McLean)
alleging violations of Section
12(a) of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act (Act) and
Rule 203(a) of Chapter 3:
Water Pollution.
Hearing was held
on April 14,
1981 in Bloomington, Illinois.
Members of the
press and public were present, but none testified.
No testimony
was presented by either party.
The hearing consisted solely
of a summary of the Stipulation and Proposal for Settlement
which was filed with the Board on June 8,
1981.
McLean is an Illinois corporation which at all pertinent
times has owned and operated an agricultural sales and service
facility located near Arrowsmith in McLean County,
Illinois.
It owns and operates storage tanks
at the facility which
contain nitrogen fertilizer solution consisting of 28
nitrogen
by volume.
On December 31,
1979 a quantity of that solution escaped
from one of the storage tanks at the facility through a hole
in its valve,
The escaped solution entered a storm drain
which empties into a unnamed tributary to the Sangamon River,
which is a water of the state.
As
a result an estimated
94,574 fish were killed which were valued at $8,031.14.
If called to testify, Dr.
Thomas J. Dolan would have
testified that the leak was a result of a defect in the casting
of the valve and that “no warning would occur until the contents
spewed forth”
(Stip.
3).
43-267
—2—
For this reason, McLean moved to join the valve manufactur*~r
in this action as a party respondent.
That motion was denied
by order of the Board on December
4,
1980.
In evaluating this enforcement action and proposed settlement,
the Board has taken into consideration all of the facts and
circumstances in light of the criteria of Section 33(c)
of the
Act.
The Board finds the stipulated agreement acceptable under
Procedural Rule 331.
The Board further finds that McLean has violated Section
12(a)
of the Act and Rule 203(a) by causing or allowing water
pollution.
However, this was an isolated incident.
According
to the terms of the settlement agreement McLean has agreed to pay
a penalty of $1,000, to pay the Wildlife and Fish Fund for the
killed fish,
and to take steps to insure that future leaks
will not reach any waters of the state.
This result should
encourage compliance with the Act and adequately protect the
environment.
This Opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and
conclusions of law in this matter.
ORD
ER
1.
Mclean County Service Company has violated Section
12(a) of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act
and Rule 203(a) of Chapter 3:
Water Pollution.
2.
It is hereby ordered that McLean shall comply with all
terms and conditions of the Stipulation and Proposal
for Settlement filed on June 8,
1981, which is
incorporated by reference as if fully set forth
herein.
3.
Within 35 days of the date of this Order, McLean
shall, by certified check or money order payable
to the State of Illinos,
pay the stipulated penalty of
$1,000 to be sent to:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Fiscal Services Division
2200 Churchill Road
Springfield,
Illinois
62706
4.
Within 35 days of the date of this Order, McLean
shall, by certified check or money order payable to
the Wildlife and Fish Fund of the State of Illinois
Treasury, pay the sum of $8,031.14 to be sent to
the address in
(3), above.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
43—268
—3—
I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
Control Bo~rd,hereby certify that the above Order was adopted
on the ~~aay
of
__________________,
1981 by a vote ~
Christan L. Moffett,~Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board
43—269