ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

August

13, 1971

MONTGOMERY AND COUNTRYSIDE

FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

#71—146

v.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (BY MR. CURRIE):

Petitioner seeks a variance to burn down an abandoned hotel

owned by the Burlington-Northern Railroad. Although the stated

purpose of the burning is fire fighting training, the petition

does not indicate specific training objectives. The petition

hints that a major motive for the blaze is to remove a hazardous

building from the community.

The petition provid~no information on the haidship which

would result from being forced to seek an alternative training

site nor on the possible harm to the public from the burning.

The Agency’s investigation of this case revealed that the

building is less than 100 feet from Illinois Highway No. 31

and that the burning could cause a serious safety problem.

We think the firemen can be trained at an alternate site which

does not pose the hazards this one does, and that this structure

can be demolished by non—polluting means.

The petition is denied.

I, Regina E. Ryan, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board,

cer ify that the Board adopted the above Opinion and Order this

/

day of

___________________,

1971,

2

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305