ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    December
    6, 1984
    IN THE MATTER OF:
    VAUGHAN
    & BUSHNELL MANUFACTURING
    )
    R83-32
    PETITION FOR A SITE-SPECIFIC
    OPERATIONAL LEVEL PURSUANT TO
    35
    ILL.
    ADM. CODE 901.105(d)
    PROPOSED RULE.
    FIRST
    ~CTiCE.
    PROPOSED OPINION AND ORDE~ROF THE BOARD
    (by J. Marlin):
    On November 21,
    1983
    Vaughan
    & Bushnell Manufacturing
    Company
    (VBM) petitioned for a site—specific operational level
    for its forging shop as an alternative to compliance with the
    noise limits contained in
    35
    Ill. Adm. Code 901.105
    (Old Rule
    206 of Chapter 8).
    The Illinois Environmental Protection
    Agency
    (Agency) filed its response on January 24,
    1984.
    A
    public hearing was held in Peoria,
    Illinois on March
    12,
    1984.
    No members of the public or press attended.
    This hearing was
    scheduled with three other similar forging noise cases in-
    volving central Illinois shops in order to conserve the time
    and funds
    of all the parties involved.
    Additional economic
    information requested by the Illinois Department of Energy
    and Natural Resources
    (DENR) was submitted on July 29,
    1984.
    A further comment was filed by VBM on August
    6, 1984.
    A
    negative declaration was filed by the DENR on September
    28,
    1984.
    The Economic and Technical Advisory Committee concurred
    on November
    1,
    1984.
    Section 901.105(d)
    allows an existing forging shop to
    petition the Board for a site-specific operational plan which
    will limit noise emissions from the shop.
    Petitioner must
    demonstrate that it
    is technically and economically infeasible
    for its shop to meet the numerical
    limits.
    Petitioner must also
    propose measures to reduce impulsive noise where possible and
    assess the consequential health and welfare impacts on the sur-
    rounding community.
    VBM is located at the intersection
    of Davis and Main Streets,
    Bushnell,
    Illinois.
    To the north is commercial property,
    to
    the east is a railroad line and some commercial
    (dog food pro-
    cessing) and residential property.
    To the south i~light manu-
    facturing,
    to the west is another forge facility.
    There are
    residences located to the northwest.
    The main building was built
    in 1923.
    The forge
    shop
    is
    marked #B-B on Exhibit B to the petition.
    It
    is 120 feet long,
    The Board acknowledges
    t~ie
    work of Kevin F.
    Duerinck, hearing
    officer and administrative assistant for this rulemaking.
    61-387
    2
    80 feet wide and
    20 feet high.
    The forge shop contains ten
    forging hammers weighing 1,000
    to 2,800 pounds apiece and ten
    furnaces.
    The heat from the furnaces, 2400°F,
    raises the
    temperature of the shop appreciably.
    Side grade-level openings
    on the east and south
    sides draw fresh air into the building
    and roof openings draw warm air out.
    The forging hammers historically have operated and cur-
    rently operate from 6:30
    a,m.
    to 1:30
    a.m.
    five to six days
    per
    week.
    The current work force of
    200 employees is down
    from 250 employees during normal economic conditions.
    VBM
    requests that it be al~.~~:edto operate its ten hammers six
    days per week at the above hours
    (Petition at
    9).
    VBM’s forged hand
    tool products are used by the construction,
    industrial and hardware industries.
    Production at VBM has de-
    creased recently as is shown by the table below.
    This decline
    resulted in less hammer blows and less impulsive noise.
    The
    production decline is expected to stabilize in 1983
    (Petition
    at 5).
    Total forgings
    No.
    of
    Tonnage of
    on hammers
    blows/yr.,
    a
    forgin~gs
    1980
    2,700,000
    21,600,000
    2,050
    1981
    2,750,000
    22,000,000
    2,150
    1982
    1,880,000
    15,040,000
    1,800
    Permissible impulsive sound levels for existing forge
    shops
    are found at
    35 Iii. Mm.
    Code 901.105.
    The impulsive sound
    level emitted to residences
    (Class A land)
    cannot exceed 58.5
    Leq during the day or 53.5 Leq at night.
    As to commercial es-
    tablishments
    (Class B), the level cannot exceed 64.5 Leq.
    Based upon actual noise level measurements, Exhibit A to the
    petition shows that the maximum noise level is
    65 Leq.
    Ap-
    proximately 50 houses potentially could be exposed to sound
    levels in excess of
    53.5 Leq.
    The noise level and the number
    of residences exposed to a certain noise level will vary
    depending on wind velocity and direction.
    Any noise violations
    at night would end
    as VEM suspended operations at 1:30 a.m.
    VBM has not received any noise complaints.
    Various measures have been proposed to reduce the sound
    levels at VBM.
    The installation of barriers is infeasible.
    Enclosing the main entrance to the shop in an acoustic tunnel
    would be infeasible because of easements or public rights—of-
    way.
    This project would further involve removal of one or two
    hammers.
    61-388
    3
    Tue
    addition
    of
    more
    fans
    and
    silencers
    to
    the
    present
    roof
    is
    iifeasible
    because
    the
    roof
    will
    not
    accept
    the
    added
    weight
    Y~ch.
    1)
    to
    Petition),
    Total
    enclosure
    of
    the
    forge
    shop
    woiilii
    .~pede material
    flow
    through
    the
    shop
    and
    production.
    The
    Board
    proposes
    granting
    \IBM’s
    site—specific
    operaLLonal
    level
    for
    ten
    hammers,
    two
    shifts Monday through Saturday.
    It’s
    coneultant
    does
    not
    foresee
    any
    adverse
    health
    effects
    rain
    65
    T~eq(R.
    17).
    The
    Agency
    states
    that
    there would he no danger
    of
    hearing
    loss
    to
    area
    residents
    (Agency
    Response
    at
    4).
    Mthough
    no
    specific
    numerical
    noise
    level limitations are
    beLng
    imposed,
    it is
    assumed
    that noise levels will approximate
    those
    testified
    to by VBM and its witnesses.
    VBM should make
    efforts to lessen noise leve1~ ~n the future as equipment
    is
    replaced and new technology
    foi: noise suppression becomes avail-
    able.
    In the event that noise levels from the forge shop hecomn
    ~xcessive,
    citizens have the right to initiate proceediricjs to
    change
    the rule which accompanies this Opinion.
    The following operational plan as set out below will he
    incorporated into
    35
    Ill. Adm. Code 901.121.
    VBM will
    he re-
    quired to comply upon filing of the plan with the Secretary
    of
    State.
    ORDER
    35
    Ill. Adm. Code 901.121 shall
    read as
    follows:
    Section 901.121
    Vaughan
    &
    Bushnell
    Operational
    Level
    Vaughan
    &
    Bushnell
    Manufacturing
    Company
    and
    the
    future
    owners of the forging facility located
    at the intersection
    of Davis and Main Streets, Bushnell,
    Illinois, shall cor~-~
    ~
    with the following site—specific operational
    level:
    a)
    Operate
    no more than ten hammers
    at any one
    time;
    and
    b)
    Operate its forging hammers only between the
    hours of 6:00
    a.m.
    and 1:30 a.m.
    Monday throu9h
    Saturday.
    35
    Ill. Adm. Code 90l~l2lis
    directed
    to First Notice.
    IT IS SO ORDERED~
    4
    I,
    Dorothy
    M.
    Guno
    Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
    Board, hereby cert~f~unut the above Proposed Opinion and Order
    was adopted on the
    ~
    ::iay of i(~~
    ~
    1984 by a vote of
    ~othyM.~nClerk~
    Illinois
    Pollution
    Control
    Board
    61-390

    Back to top