ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    March 19, 1981
    GETTY SYNTHETIC FUELS, INC.,
    )
    Petitioner,
    v.
    )
    PCB 80—171
    ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL
    PROTECTION AGENCY,
    )
    Respondent.
    CONCURRING OPINION (by D. Satchell):
    The purpose of this Opinion is to call attention to an Agency
    decision where apparently form ruled over substance.
    In southeast Cook County the approximately 105 acre CID
    landfill emits about 5,000,000 cubic feet of landfill gas in a
    twenty—four hour period. This is a usual natural consequence
    of microbial decomposition of putrescible materials under anaer-
    obic conditions.
    Getty Synthetic Fuels, Inc., on May 29, 1980, was denied a
    construction permit to build a methane recovery plant at the above
    site because the plant would be a major source of hydrocarbon
    emissions in a non—attainment area for ozone.
    The five million cubic feet (about 400,000 lbs.) of landfill
    gas to be recovered daily contain about 5300 pounds of hydrocar-
    bons with molecular weights greater than methane. Emission of
    these hydrocarbons is regulated because they react with other
    atmospheric gases to form ozone. The original plant would have
    used “air stripping” which would have reduced the approximately
    220 lbs/hr of “heavy” hydrocarbons to about 20 lbs/hr.
    In addition to approximately a ninety percent reduction in
    “heavy” h~tdrocarbon.exrtissions and more than 900 million cubic feet
    of high Btu pipeline quality gas recovered each year, the con-
    struction and operation of this facility was contemplated as a
    portion of the odor prevention program at the CID landfill mandated
    by the Board in its Order of January 4, 1979 (People, et al. v.
    Waste Management, Inc., et al., PCB 76—184).
    While appreciating the precedent setting possibilities of
    decisions regarding this unique facility, it is very difficult
    41—103
    —2—
    for me to see why such innovative technology should not be
    enthusiastically encouraged.
    Donal P. Satchell
    Board Member
    I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
    Control Board, hereby certify that the above Concurring Opinion
    was filed with the Board on the ~1~’ day of
    ________,
    1981.
    C~iLLc~
    Christari L. Moff~~,
    r\ ~
    Clerk
    Illinois Pollutiorf Control Board
    41—104

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