ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
January
4
,
1979
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY,
Complainant,
v.
)
PCB 78—200
CITY OF GRAFTON,
Respondent.
MR. PATRICK J. CHESLEY,
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, APPEARED
ON BEHALF OF THE COMPLAINANT.
MR. GEORGE
P. WHITTMAN, ATTORNEY AT LAW, APPEARED ON BEHALF
OF
THE
RESPONDENT.
OPINION
AND
ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by Dr. Satchell):
This matter comes before the Board upon a complaint filed
by the Environmental Protection Agency
(Agency) on July
28,
1978.
The complaint alleges that the City of Grafton,
in Jersey
County,
Illinois has caused or allowed the use or operation of a
public water supply without an NPDES permit
in violation of
Rules
901 and 902(e)
of the Chapter
3:
Water Pollution Regu—
lations
(Chapter
3)
and Section
12(f)
of the Environmental
Protection Act
(Act).
A hearing was held on November
21,
1978
at which time a stipulated agreement was submitted for Board
approval.
No testimony was given.
The stipulated facts provide that the City of Grafton
caused or allowed the use or operation of a public water supply
system which discharges contaminants
to a gravity drain line
which discharges to a natural drainage channel, a tributary of
the Illinois River.
At no time since October
24,
1977, when
Rules
901 and 902(e)
of Chapter
3 became effective,
to July 28,
1978 did the City of Grafton possess an NPDES permit issued by
the Agency for the City’s water supply system.
In May,
1978 the City was informed by letter of the need
for a permit.
The Grafton city council approved the submission
of the appropriate application for the permit at its June meeting.
However,
due to a mix—up,
the permit application was never sent
to the Agency.
The City of Grafton has applied for an NPDES
permit and
agrees to follow through and obtain the permit.
32—361
—2—
The parties agreed that the character and degree of the
injury was not known.
However,
the permit system is the heart
of the regulatory program to protect the environment in Illinois.
Such
a program is
an important information source concerning the
quantity and character of the contaminants being discharged to
waters of the state.
The public water supply of Grafton has
social and economic value and is suitable to the area in which
it
is located.
There is no question of priority of location.
It is technically practicable and economically reasonable for
the city to obtain an NPDES permit for its wastewater discharge
from its public water supply.
Considering the nature of the
violations
and the City’s willingness to comply the parties
agreed to a $100 penalty.
The Board finds the agreement acceptable under Procedural
Rule 331 and Section 33(c)
of the Act.
The notice requirement
of Procedural Rule 331(c)
was met in the November
14, 1978
Environmental Register
(#183).
The Board finds the City of
Grafton
in violation of Rules
901 and 902(e)
of Chapter 3 and
Section 12(f)
of the Act.
Respondent
is assessed
a penalty of
$100 and will be required to continue the necessary steps to
obtain an NPDES permit.
This Opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and
conclusions of law in this matter.
ORDER
It is the Order of the Pollution Control Board that:
1.
The City of Grafton is
found to have violated Rules
901 and 902(e)
of the Chapter
3:
Water Pollution
Regulations and Section 12(f)
of the Environmental
Protection Act.
2.
Respondent ~shall continue the necessary steps to
receive the appropriate NPDES permit.
3.
Respondent shall pay a penalty of $100 within 45 days
of this Order.
Payment shall be by certified check or
money order payable to:
State of Illinois
Fiscal Services Division
Environmental Protection Agency
2200 Churchill Road
Springfield,
Illinois 62706
32—362
—3—
I, Christan
L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
Control Board, hereby certify the above Opinion and Order were
adopt~don the
~/~‘
—
day ~
1979 by a vote
Illinois Pollution
trol Board
32—363