ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
October
5,
1982
It~
THE MATTER OF:
)
RACT II RULES,
)
R80-5
CUAPTER 2:
AIR POLLUTION
CONCURRING OPINION
(by J.D.
Dumelle and
N.E.
Werner):
Our reasons for concurring are
the possible serious eco—
nomic effects of these regulations upon Illinois industry and
the recent evidence that Illinois may not need further hydro-
carbon reductions.
Illinois industry is
in
a recession.
The Rockford,
Decatur,
and Peoria areas are on the national list of
10 urban areas of
highest unemployment.
And for Illinois itself, unemployment
now exceeds 12
-—
an exceedingly
high
Eigure.
These additional hydrocarbon controls or process or pro-
duct changes will cost money.
Industry,
in a recession,
must
husband its financial resources to pay fixed costs which con-
tinue even as sales and output
fall.
And businessmen considering relocation to
the
Sun Belt
or elsewhere may easily interpret these additional costs im-
posed by the State as indicative
of an unfeeling attitude toward
their extreme situation.
Are these additional regulations really needed?
No violations
of the national
(identical with Illinois) ambient ait quality
standard
for ozone were recorded anywhere in the State
in 1982.
Why then are further controls necessary when IEPA,
the proponent,
admits that earlier theoretical models used in the 1978—79
RACT—I proceeding “overcontroiled”?
The only arguments advanced
are those of decreased industrial output and reduced car usage
because of the recession and possible favorable meteorological
conditions.
Another reason for controls is often not voiced.
It
is that
the Federal government “expects”
Illinois to enact these new
rules and may promulgate them
if
the State does not.
But
how
can the case be made for promulgation if no violations exist?
We would have preferred not to enact regulations statewide
so as to spare Rockford,
Decatur,
and Peoria possible further
burdens.
But there
is no easy way to hold the regulations
in
abeyance while enacting those
in non—attainment areas only.
This order is
a compromise.
It immediately enacts
the new
controls in non—attainment and immediately adjacent counties.
It puts the beginning of the control programs off to 1987
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2
for the remainder of the State including
the
Rockford,
Decatur,
and Peoria areas.
It
is our hope that 1983 and 1984 ~iillalso show no ozone
violations.
If that in fact happens,
then industry should
promptly ask the Board
to repeal
those pending controls which
trigger in 1986.
Finally,
in any further scientific studies on ozone re-
duction, the possibility of controlling oxides of nitrogen
ought
to be explored.
There are few further sources of hydro-
carbons that can be controlled without great expense.
1-
~.
I, Christan
L.
Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
Control Board,
hereby certify that th?~above Concurring Opinion
was filed on the
~~day
of~j~i~~___
___,
1982.
Christan L.
Moff t~.rclerk
Illinois Pollution control Board
Chairman
C
•1
/
49-66