ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    August
    5, 1976
    MARATHON OIL COMPANY,
    )
    Petitioner,
    v.
    )
    PCB 76—159
    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
    Respondent.
    OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD
    (by Mr. Goodman):
    On May
    20,
    1976, Marathon Oil Company
    (Marathon)
    filed a
    Petition for Extension of Variance before the Pollution Control
    Board
    (Board).
    Marathon seeks a variance from Rule 206(c)
    of the
    Air Pollution Control Regulations
    (Chapter
    2)
    for its fluid cata-
    lytic cracking unit and its catalyst regenerator unit.
    The variance
    request is based upon Marathon’s installation of
    a carbon monoxide
    (CO) boiler to meet the 200 parts per million
    (ppm)
    CO standard of
    Rule 206(c).
    The Environmental Protection Agency
    (Agency)
    filed
    its Recommendation on July
    29,
    1976.
    No hearing has been held
    in
    this matter.
    Marathon was originally granted variance
    for its Robinson,
    Illinois Refinery on January
    9,
    1975, Marathon Oil Company
    V.
    EPA,
    PCB 74-147, and was granted an extension on December 11,
    1975,
    Marathon Oil Company v.
    EPA, PCB 75-398.
    Marathon’s operations at
    the Robinson Refinery have been described in the prior Board de-
    cisions.
    The Agency’s Recommendation indicates that Marathon’s
    present CO emissions are approximately 130,000 ppm of CO.
    Marathon
    processes approximately 38,000 to 40,000 barrels of gas oil per day
    in its “cat cracker unit.”
    Marathon is currently installing a CO
    boiler
    to reduce CO emission to the levels prescribed in Rule 206 (c).
    The Agency believes that this CO boiler will reduce emissions to
    200 ppm and thus achieve compliance with Rule 206(c).
    The approxi-
    mate cost of this project is $4,000,000.00.
    In our Opinion of December 11, 1975, we held that the grant of
    the variance would not interfere with attainment or maintenance of
    23
    —
    269
    —2—
    the ambient air quality standards in the area to be affected.
    The
    Agency agreed with that conclusion and indicates that there has
    been no change in their position.
    Marathon’s petition outlines the progress it has made in imple-
    menting its compliance plan and complying with the Board’s Orders.
    The installation of the CO boiler has not been completed because
    two turbines essential to the operation of the CO boiler have been
    delayed in delivery.
    The Agency’s Recommendation indicates that in
    mid-July,
    1976, one turbine arrived at the construction site and
    is
    currently being installed.
    Marathon expects delivery of the second
    turbine near the end of July.
    The Board finds that grant of the requested variance
    is justi-
    fied.
    The hardship on which we based our earlier decisions
    in
    PCB 74—147 and PCB 75—398 remains adequate to justify such a variance.
    Furthermore, Marathon has shown good faith in its efforts to achieve
    compliance with Rule 206(c)
    as quickly as possible and has complied
    with all the conditions of the prior variances,
    including application
    for required permits,
    submission of progress reports to the Agency,
    and posting of a Performance Bond in the amount of $100,000.00.
    Marathon requests that variance be granted until September
    30,
    1976.
    We
    will grant the variance until that time and will retain
    in effect the conditions of the earlier variances.
    This Opinion constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions
    of law of the Board in this matter.
    ORDER
    IT IS THE ORDER OF THE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD that Petitioner
    Marathon Oil Company be granted a variance from Rule
    206(c) of
    Chapter
    2:
    Air Pollution, for its Robinson, Illinois Refinery for
    the period June
    30,
    1976 to September
    30,
    1976,
    subject to the
    conditions shown in the Board’s prior Orders in PCB 74-147 and
    PCB 75—398.
    23
    —
    270
    —3—
    I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
    Board, h~rebycertify the above Opinon and Order were adop~don
    the
    day of
    ,
    1976 by a vote of
    ~
    Illinois Pol
    Board
    23
    —
    271

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