ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL
BOARD
March
5,
1981
ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL
)
PROTECTION AGENCY,
)
)
Complainant,
)
v.
)
PCB 79—43.
)
CALVIN GEISS, d/b/a C & A
)
DISPOSAL COMPANY, AND
)
FRED 0. BENNITT,
)
Respondents.
NANCY BENNETT, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, APPEARED ON BEHALF OF
THE COMPLAINANT.
DAVIS, VARSEK & DYSTRUP, ATTORNEYS AT LAW
(MR.
L.
PARK DAVIS, OF
COUNSEL), APPEARED ON BEHALF OF RESPONDENT CALVIN GEISS, d/b/a
C & A DISPOSAL COMPANY.
FRED D. BENNITT APPEARED PRO SE.
OPINION
AND
ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by N.E.Werner):
This matter comes before the Board on the February 26,
1979
Complaint brought by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
(wAgencyft).
This
Complaint alleged that Mr. Calvin Geiss, d/b/a
C & A Disposal Company (~Mr.Geiss”), has conducted a refuse
collection and disposal operation at a site in Will County, Illinois
which is owned by Mr. Fred D. Bennitt
(“Mr. Bennitt”) and leased to
Mr. Geiss.
Counts
I and III of the Complaint alleged that the Respondents
operated the sanitary landfill in such a manner as to:
(1)
improperly
unload, spread, and compact refuse;
(2) improperly maintain the
slope of the working face;
(3) operate without sufficient equipment,
personnel, and supervision;
(4) place inadequate daily, intermediate,
and final cover on the site;
(5)
fail to properly collect litter;
(6) improperly handle salvage materials;
(7) allow open burning;
(8)
fail to provide adequate fencing and gates;
(9) provide
insufficient measures to monitor and control leachate,
dust and
vectors;
(3.0) fail to submit the necessary water monitoring data
as required by Operating Permit No.
1974—20—OP, and
(11) allow the
open dumping of garbage and other refuse in violation of Rules
301,
303(a),
303(b),
303(c),
304,
305(a),
305(b),
305(c),
306,
307(d),
311,
314(a),
314(c), 314(e),
314(f),
314(h), and 317 of Chapter
7:
Solid
4
1—21
Waste Regulations (“Chapter 7”)
and Sections 9(a),
21(a), and
21(b) of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act (“Act”).
Count II alleged that, on May 24,
1973, June 8,
1973,
October 30,
1973,
April 28, 1976, May
5,
1977,
and August
8,
1978, the
Respondents disposed contaminants upon land in such
a ~ñace and
manner as to create a water pollution hazard in violation of
Section 12(d) of the Act.
Count IV alleged that, on various specified occasions,
the
Respondents failed to comply with all the conditions and provisions
of their operating and supplemental permits in that unauthorized
hazardous and/or liquid wastes were accepted at the site;
the
filling of a new trench area began without first obtaining
a
supplemental permit to do so;
and the necessar~’water monitoring
data was not furnished to the Agency in violations of Rules 210,
302, and 310(b) of Chapter
7.
Count V alleged that, on various specified dates prior to
July 27, 1973
(i.e., while the Illinois Department of Public Health
Rules and Regulations for Refuse Disposal Sites and Facilities were
still in effect), the Respondents operated the site without providin~j
the necessary daily and final cover; without properly restricting
access to the site, and without complying with the prohibition against
open dumping in violation of Rules 3.04,
4.03(a),
5.02,
5.07(a), and
5.07(b) of the Illinois Department of Public Health Regulations on
refuse disposal sites.
A hearing was held on July
9,
1979.
The parties filed
a
Stipulation and Proposal for Settlement on August
1,
1979.
On
August
9, 1979, the Board entered an Interim Order which rejected
the proposed settlement agreement because of
a suspended penalty
provision in the Stipulation.
On November 20,
1980,
the Board
entered an Order which mandated that the parties expedite proceedinqs
in this matter.
A new hearing was held on January
15,
1981.
On
January 20, 1981,
the parties filed a second Stipulation and
Proposal for Settlement (“2nd Stip.”).
It is stipulated that Respondent Geiss has,
since at least
January,
1971, operated a sanitary landfill of about 25 acres in
Will County,
Illinois.
(2nd Stip.
1).
While the Agency has
contended that Respondent Bennitt has owned the property in question
since at least January,
1971 and leased it to Respondent Geiss,
Mr. Bennitt has asserted that he is merely an agent for the owners
of the site.
(2nd Stip.
1—2).
However, Mr. Bennitt “has submitted
no evidence against the Agency’s contention that he is the actual
property owner”.
(2nd Stip.
2).
This sanitary landfill has been operated pursuant to an Agency
operating permit and various supplemental permits which have been
granted by the Agency.
(See: Exhibits A,
B, C, and D).
In its
Stipulation, the Agency has alleged “unauthorized modification of
Respondents’ permits” as well as operation in violation of these
41—22
permits (i.e.,
“causing or allowing dumping in a trench not yet
permitted or approved by the Agency”).
(2nd Stip.
2).
Additionally,
the Complainant has contended that, as a result of the utilization
of improper operating methods, leaching has developed at the southern
end of a trench.
(2nd Stip.
3).
However, the parties have indicated that, in order to rectify
matters,
Respondent Geiss “has already trenched along the South end
perimeter of Cell #1 as shown on George Reiter and Associates drawing
#73—767—B dated October 23,
1973, or cell A of Drawing #C 78—288,
dated July 10,
1978, and lined the trench with Bentonite or
impermeable clay and backfilledin order to prevent the flow of
leachate from said cell.”
(2nd Stip.
3).
Additionally, the parties have stated that Respondent Geiss is
currently in substantial compliance with the Board’s Solid Waste
Regulations and the Act and have indicated that Mr. Geiss
shall take
all necessary measures to properly operate the landfill site in the
future.
(2nd Stip.
3—4).
The proposed settlement agreement provides that:
(1) Respondent
Geiss
shall promptly place final cover on all trenches (and provide
prompt notification and adequate proof to the Agency that the
required measures have been completed) and
(2) pay a stipulated
penalty of $1,100.00 in two equal monthly payments of $550.00 each.
(2nd Stip.
4—5;
2nd
R.
4—5).
Moreover, Respondent Bennitt has agreed to provide Mr. Geiss
“with up to 400 cubic yards of materials suitable for cover” from
two specified locations so that Respondent Geiss can meet his
obligations to provide the requisite final cover on all trenches.
(2nd Stip.
5;
2nd R.
5—6).
The parties have agreed that the “cost
of the removal and placement of the material for the cover shall be
borne by Respondent Geiss.”
(2nd stip.
5).
According to paragraph five of the second Stipulation, it is
uncontroverted that the Respondents have violated Rules
303,
305(a),
305(b), 305(c), and 306 of Chapter 7:
Solid Waste Regulations.
The Board will dismiss the rest of the allegations for lack of
prosecution.
In evaluating this enforcement action and the second proposed
settlement agreement, the Board has taken into consideration all the
facts and circumstances in light of the specific criteria delineated
in Section 33(c) of the Act.
The Board finds the second stipulated
agreement acceptable under Procedural Rule 331 and Section 33(c) of
the Act.
The Respondents will be ordered to comply with the
terms of the Second Stipulation and Proposal for Settlement and a
stipulated penalty of $1,100.00 (payable in two equal monthly payments
of $550.00 each)
shall be assessed against Respondent Geiss.
This Opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and
conclusions of law in this matter.
41—23
ORDER
It is the Order of the Illinois Pollution Control Board that:
1.
The Respondents,
Calvin Geiss, d/b/a
C & A Disposal Company,
and Fred D. Bennitt, have violated Rules
303,
305(a), 305(b),
305(c),
and 306 of Chapter 7:
Solid Waste Regulations.
2.
The allegations in the Complaint (other than the above
mentioned rule violations)
are hereby dismissed.
3.
Within 30 days of the date of this Order, Respondent
Calvin Geiss,
d/b/a C &
A Disposal Company, shall pay 1/2 of the
stipulated penalty of $1,100.00
(i.e.,
$550.00).
Within 60 days of
the date of this Order, Respondent Geiss shall pay the remaining
1/2 of the stipulated penalty of $1,100.00
(i.e., another $550.00).
Both payments of $550.00 shall be by certified check or money order
payable to the State of Illinois, which are to be sent to:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Fiscal Services Division
2200 Churchill Road
Springfield, Illinois
62706
4.
The Respondents
shall comply with all the
terms
and condLt1an~
of the Second Stipulation and Settlement Agreement filed on
January 20,
1981, which is incorporated by reference as if fully
set forth herein.
Mrs. Anderson concurs.
I,
Christan L. Moffett,
Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, he,~e~y
certify that the above Opinion and Order were adopted
on the
~ ~
day of
_______________,
1981 by a vote of
.S~.
Christan
L. Mof~~T~ierk
Illinois Pollutioñ~Control Board
4 1—24