ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
June
9
1977
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
)
Complainant,
v.
)
PCB 76—261
CHESTER BURKS
& HAROLD G. QUICK,
SR., d/b/a BURKS
AND
QUICK SAND,
Respondents.
Mr. Patrick
J, Chesley, Assistant Attorney General, appeared
for the Complainant;
Mr. Harold J.
Pennock,
Jr.
appeared for
the Respondents.
OPINION
AND
ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by Dr. Satchell):
The Attorney General of
Illinois filed this complaint for
the People
of Illinois on October
20,
1976.
The complaint
alleges that Respondents operate
a sand and gravel pit in
Clinton County approximately one and one half miles west of
Sandoval,
Illinois, north of U.S. Route 50; that these Respon-
dents have conducted
a mining operation without a permit from
the Environmental Protection Agency
(Agency)
in violation of
Rule 201 of Chapter 4: Mine Related Pollution (Chapter 4); and
that Respondents have excavated
a portion of an unnamed trjb-
utary of Lost Creek which constitutes
a contact or interference
with waters of Illinois which can reasonably be expected to
cause or allow pollution of the waters in violation of Rule
301(a)
of Chapter
4.
A hearing was held
on
April
25,
1977 at which time a
Statement of Stipulated Settlement was
presented
for the
Board’s approval.
No testimony was
given,
The agreement states that Respondents operate a sand
and gravel pit in Clinton County;
however, only sand has been
produced from the pit.
The mechanical operation of the site
began on May
5, 1976
and
continued on a regular basis until
the filing of the complaint in this case, October
20, 1976
(Stip. #3).
This operation occurred without an operating per-
mit issued by the Agency
(Stip.
~4).
Respondents were informed
in mid-August 1976 of the need for the permit and on August 31,
1976 they applied for the appropriate permit
(Stips.
#5 and #6).
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—
589
—2—
After receiving additional information from Respondents the
Agency issued a permit to open and operate the mine site in
question
(Stip.
#9).
Respondents had pushed dirt into the
stream of the unnamed
tributary to Lost Creek to make a
cross-over
for equipment.
Upon notice by the Agency that
such action was prohibited Respondents returned the stream
to its former level and erected a barrier between
the trib-
utary and the excavation to prevent further seepage or
overflow (#10).
This activity took place during a ten day
period in August,
1976
(#10).
Respondents have agreed not to fill or conduct any
mining around the stream because of the possibility of environ-
mental daniacje.
Because of Respondents’ actions and promises
concerning the use of the unnamed tributary to Lost Creek, the
Complainant moves to dismiss Count II of the complaint alleging
violations of Rule 301(a)
of Chapter 4.
The parties stipulated that the sand and gravel pit has
some social and economic value to the community.
The agree-
ment states that suitability of the site is not in issue as
a permit has been issued.
The parties agree that considering
the nature of the conditions
at the subject site, Respon-
dents’
efforts to implement environmental safeguards and the
size of Respondents’ operation that
a $200 penalty is appro-
priate to maintain the integrity of the permit system.
The Board finds the conditions
of settlement acceptable
under Procedural Rule 331.
The allegation of violation of
Rule 301(a)
is dismissed.
The Board does find a violation
of Rule 201 of Chapter
4.
The Board in considering the fac-
tors of Section
33(c)
of the Environmental Protection Act
agrees with the parties that the site does have social and
economic value.
The issuance of
a permit removes the
location and the economic and technological feasibility
problems from issue.
No permanent darnaqe has been shown.
However,
the permit system is the key
Lo
the
protection of
the public.
The Board finds the $200 penalty as sufficient
to aid in the enforcement of the Act.
This opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact
and conclusions of law in this matter.
25
—
690
ORDER
It
is
the
Order
of
the
Pollution
Control
Board
that:
1.
Chester Burks
and
HaroLd
C,
Quick,
Sr., d/b/a Burks
and Quick Sand are
found
t:c
ba~’e been
in
violation
of
Rule 201
of
Chapter
4:
Mine
Related
Pollut~.on
Regulations.
2.
The
allegation
of
v:Loiai:ion of
Rule
301(a)
of
Chap-
ter
4
is
dismissed.
3.
Respondents shall pay a penalty of
$200 within
45
days of this order.
Payment shall
he
by
certified
check or
money order payable to:
State
of
Illinois
Fiscal
Services
Division
Environmental
Protection
Agency
2200 Churchill Road
Springfield,
Illinois
62706
I,
Christan
L.
Noffett,
Clerk of
the
Illinois Pollution
Control Board, hereby
certify
the
above Opinion and Order
were adopt~don
the
~
day
of
~
1977 by a
voteof
~_3
Illinois
Pollution
trol Board
25
—
691