ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    December
    2,
    1982
    GRANITE CITY STEEL DIVISION
    OF NATIONAL STEEL CORPORATION,
    Petitioner,
    v.
    )
    PCB 82—109
    ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
    AGENCY,
    Respondent.
    CONCURRING OPINION (by J.D. Dumelle):
    My reasons for concurring in this matter are my concerns
    about public health and the lack of complete information on
    costs of alternatives.
    The Petition gives the distance from the coke ovens
    to
    the nearest residence as “1000 feet”
    (p.2).
    No data are given
    as
    to other residences that may be nearby or the distances to
    them.
    Are we dealing here with a single house or an entire
    neighborhood?
    The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Recommendation
    recognizes
    a carcinogenic hazard from the coke oven emissions
    (Para.
    23).
    It goes on to state that the pushing emissions “are
    thought to be less carcinogenict’ than coking process emissions.
    At this point we have an unknown population size exposed to
    an indefinite hazard.
    The alternative,
    continuing to purchase
    coke,
    is not costed out anywhere.
    Does
    it cost a dollar more
    per ton to buy coke or ten cents or what?
    No one has told us.
    Coke oven emissions are dangerous.
    The USEPA in its “Regu-
    lations Under Consideration” list (Bureau of National Affairs
    Environment Reporter, November
    5,
    1982, p.963) has a pending
    proceeding,
    SAR NO.
    1594,
    “NESHAPS:
    Listing of Coke Oven
    Emissions as Hazardous Air Pollutant”.
    This may result
    in a
    listing under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act which in turn
    will require Federal emission standards.
    The major problem to me in this Variance is not the rela-
    tively short term increase in particulate emissions.
    It lies in
    the extremely close proximity of these coke ovens to residences
    50-85
    —2—
    occupied perhaps continually by elderly or infants.
    If it is at
    all possible, Granite City Steel ought to seriously consider
    acquiring these nearby residences
    (if more than one exists)
    for
    uses other than habitation.
    acob D. Dumelle, Chairman
    I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
    Control Board, hereby ce~ifythat th~above Concurring Opinion
    was submitted on the
    .~3
    ~
    day of ~
    ~
    ,
    1982.
    Illinois Pollutio
    Board
    50-86

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