ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

May 7,

1992

IN THE MATTER OF:

)

PETITION OF JEFFERSON

)

AS 92-3

SMURFIT CORPORATION FOR AN

)

(Adjusted Standard)

ADJUSTED STANDARD FROM

35

ILL. ADM.

CODE

304.105

AND

302.208

ORDER OF THE BOARD

(by R.C.

Flemal):

This petition for adjusted standard was filed on April

22,

1992.

A review of this petition pursuant to Section 28.1 of the

Act and 35

Iii. Adm. Code 106.Subpart G indicates the following

deficiencies:

1.

Smurfit has not provided a map indicating the location

of the facility, the discharge points,

the North Ditch,

and the receiving streams.

It would be easier to

comprehend the information provided in the petition

with a location map.

2.

Smurfit has not provided data regarding the flows

“into” and “out of”

(reuse and discharge)

the ditch,

and the retention capacity of the ditch which will be

required to ascertain the liquid balance.

3.

Section V Compliance Alternatives does not consider the

option of expanding the retention capacity of the North

Ditch to contain the “normal

flow” and comply with the

1 mg/l standard.

This option seems to be logical since

the information included in the petition indicates that

boron concentration in the discharge from the North

Ditch exceeds

1 mg/l level only

if it occurs during

“normal flow”

(i.e. not caused by a rainfall event)

4.

In Section VI, Smurfit has requested an adjusted

standard for boron of

15 mg/i.

Smurfit appears to be

relying solely on the site-specific standard adopted

for Illinois Power Co.

in 1978 granting a boron water

quality standard of

15 mg/i which applies to an unnamed

tributary of Wood River Creek and a portion of Wood

River Creek

(see Section 303.352).

The 15 mg/i

concentration is not supported by the analytical

results provided in the petition (Attachment A) which

indicate that the conc~ntration of boron

in the North

Ditch during March 1989 through January 1990 ranged

from 0.4

to 5.8 mg/i.

133—323

---

2

5.

In Section VII,

Smurfit has not provided any

information regarding the time periods when discharge

takes place or the flow data of the receiving stream to

substantiate its statement that the receiving stream

always contains water at the time of discharge.

This

information is useful if the adjusted standard is to

specify the periods when the

1 mg/I standard for boron

may be exceeded.

6.

Smurfit has apparently relied upon its consultant’s

review,

and the adjusted standard granted by the Board

to Illinois Power in determining that the requested

relief does not present any adverse impact.

However,

the petition does not include the consultant’s report

regarding the impact of the discharge on the receiving

stream to substantiate its claim.

Data on stream and

sediment monitoring and potential routes of exposure

that might impact human health, aquatic life or wild

and domestic animals using the water in the creek

is

needed to evaluate adverse environmental impacts.

If an amended petition curing these deficiencies is not

filed within 45 days of the date of this Order, this petition

will be subject to dismissal.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

I, Dorothy N. Gunn,

Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control

Bo~~ç1,hereby certify that the above order was adopted on the

(

“

day of

______________________,

1992, by a vote of

_________

//

1~

-

/,~

/

1.)

‘2

~

/

2

~‘

/~)

~‘

r’

••‘~

Dorothy M./Gunn, Clerk

Illinois Pollution Control Board

133—1324