ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
July
20,
1978
IN THE MATTER OF:
PROPOSED TOXIC SUBSTANCE
)
PCB R74-7
REGULATIONS
ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by Mr. Young):
On
July 19,
1974,
the Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency submitted a proposal for the adoption of regulations
to require the identification and registration of all facilities
in Illinois using, manufacturing,
storing, shipping, transporting,
importing,
or exporting substances
in a quantity which,
in
the
judgment of the Agency, were likely to pose
a threat to public
health
if accidentally or unl~awfullydischarged into
the environ-
ment.
The thrust of the proposal was aimed toward mitigation
of the harmful effects of emissions released
as a result of
rail and highway accidents or accidental release of toxic sub-
stances
from fixed facilities.
Seven hearings were held on the proposed regulations during
the period from September 20,
1974,
through December 12,
1974.
In response
to
a Motion at the December 12,
1974, hearing,
further Board action on the proposal was continued pending the
preparation and publication of an Illinois Regulated Toxic
Substance List by the Agency.
Such list was published in July,
1975,
by the Illinois Institute for Environmental Quality as
Document No.
75—15,
IIEQ Project No.
10.041, entitled Proposed
Illinois Regulated Chemicals List.
The list, contained in IIEQ
Document No.
75—15, was developed under contract to Dr. Leonard
J. Goldwater,
M.D.,
a distinguished expert in the field of
environmental toxicology.
750 copies of the IIEQ document were
mailed to those affected or concerned persons within the State
and, thereafter,
the Agency held public informational meetings
in three locations
to familiarize all interested persons with
the proposed list.
Four Board hearings were then held during
the period January
7,
1976,
to March
23, 1976,
during which
testimony was received on the Proposed Regulated Chemicals
List and the proposed regulations.
On Motion of the Agency,
the Board entered an Order,
April
8,
1976,
to proceed with the regulation as applied to
fixed sites only, and ordered
a stay of the transportation-
related aspects of the Droposal.
The Institute for Environmental
Quality, pursuant to Section 6(b)
of the Environmental Protection
Act, subsequently prepared an economic impact study on the pro-
posed fixed-site regulations which was forwarded to the Board on
31-135
—2—
January 13, 1977.
After notification and the statutory period
for public inspection,
economic imoact hearings
as required
by Section 27(b) of the Act were held on April
29 and May
4,
1977.
The Agency filed
a Petition to Withdraw R74-7 on June
9,
1978, citing
as reason therefor the subsequent adoption
of State and Federal legislation,
the provisions of which
substantially reduced the anticipated benefits of the pro-
posed regulations.
The Illinois General Assembly enacted legislation
(PA 79—1442)
effective August 26,
1976,
requiring labeling
of equipment and facilities for the use, transportation,
storage and manufacture of hazardous materials and to provide
for
a uniform response system to hazardous materials emer-
gencies.
PA
79-1442 created a Hazardous Materials Advisory
Board and placed primary responsibility for implementation
in the Illinois Emergency Services and Disaster Agency and
the Illinois Department of Transportation.
PA 80-351, the
Illinois Hazardous MaterialsTransportation Act, became
effective August
26,
1977,
and provides authority for the
Illinois Department of Transportation
to adopt regulations
to control the threat
to life and property occasioned by
the transportation of hazardous materials over highways.
Additionally, House Bill
3980, Public Act 79—1444 effective
August
26,
1976, directed the Illinois Commerce Commission
to undertake a study and recommend necessary legislative
action
to the 80th General Assembly.
As
a result,
House
Bill 3350,
the Illinois Hazardous Materials Railroad Trans-
portation Act, was passed by the Illinois Senate on June 24,
1978,
and is awaiting action by the Governor.
Public Act 79-1084 effective October
1,
1975,
cited
as
the Illinois Emergency Services
and Disaster Agency Act of
1975, while basically a re—codification of the earlier Civil
Defense Act of 1951, was broadened by addition of a definition
of disaster to include the occurrence or threat of widespread
or severe damage,
injury or loss of life or property resulting
from man—made causes including air and water contamination.
Also added was authority and responsibility for the preparation
of comprehensive plans and programs for disaster preparedness,
response and recovery, together with authority to adopt necessary
regulations.
Additionally, there are a number of existing Illinois
statutes which specifically govern the storage, transportation
and use of hazardous or toxic materials in Illinois which
could result in public hazard if accidentally released or
improperly handled.
Some of these
laws include:
—3—
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
ch.
5, ~55.l
-
The Fertilizer
Act of 1961,
and specifically regulations
relating to the handling, containers and
storage of anhydrous ammonia and low pressure
nitrogen solutions issued by the Department
of Agriculture;
Ill. Rev.
Stat.
ch.
5, ~85a.l
-
An Act in
relation to the use and application of
2,
4-D
and related herbicides;
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
ch.
5, ~87c.l
—
The
Economic
Poison Law;
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
ch.
5,
~87d.l
—
An Act relating
to custom or public application of pesticides,
to license and regulate such activity;
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
ch.
5,
~256
—
Pesticides Control
Law;
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
ch.
5,
~27l
-
An Act to create
an inter-agency committee on pesticides
to
study,
advise and recommend any needed legis-
lation concerning pesticides,
and to approve
all proposed rules and regulations pertaining
to the labeling, sale,
use or application of
pesticides;
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
ch.
96 1/2,
~480l
—
An Act
regulating the manufacture, possession,
storage,
transportation,
use, sale or gift
of explosives;
Ill. Rev.
Stat.
ch.
96
1/2, ~560l
—
An Act to
regulate
the
storage,
transportation,
sale
and use of liguified petroleum gases;
Ill. Rev.
Stat.
ch.
111 1/2, ~2ll.
—
The
Radiation Protection Act;
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
ch.
ill
1/2, ~25l
—
The Uniform
Hazardous Substances Act of Illinois;
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
ch.
111 2/3, ~l
—
An Act con-
cerning public utilities, especially ~6l con-
cerning authority of the Illinois Commerce
Commission to require safe maintenance and
operation;
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
ch.
111
2/3, ~551
-
An Act
relating to the establishment and enforcement
of safety standards
for the transportation
in Illinois of natural and other gas by pipe-
line;
and,
31-137
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
ch. 127 1/2, ~153
—
An Act
to regulate the storage, transportation,
sale and use of gasoline and volatile oils.
Since the introduction of this proceeding,
significant
Federal legislation has been enacted to control or minimize
the
threat from the accidental or unlawful release of toxic
substances
into the environment from transportation or fixed
locations.
The Toxic Substances Control Act, Public Law 94-469
(90
Stat.
2003;
15 U.S.C.
2601 et seq.),
adopted October 11,
1976,
includes provisions
to prohibit or limit the amount of any
substance or mixture, which presents or will present an
unreasonable risk of injury to health or
to the environment,
from manufacture, processing, distribution, use or disposal.
This Act, which
is administered by the USEPA,
also requires
the submission of reports by persons manufacturing or processing
toxic substances including formulation data,
uses, quantities
manufactured or processed, and all existing data concerning the
environmental and health effects of such substances.
The Transportation Safety Act of 1974, Public Law 93-633
(88 Stat.
2156; U.S.C.
1801 et seq.),
adopted January
3, 1975,
included Title
I,
the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
(49 U.S.C.
1801);
Title
II, the Rail Safety Improvement Act
of 1974
(45 U.S.C.
440);
and Title III,
the Independent Safety
Board Act of 1974
(49 U.S.C.
1901)
.
This legislation
has been
implemented by regulations promulgated by USDOT,
all of which
are designed to reduce the possibility of transportation-related
accidents involving hazardous materi,al and to provide rapid and
effective response to any hazard created by such accidents.
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act,
(33 U.S.C.
466
et
sect.) was amended by Public Law 95-217 on December 28, 1977
(91 Stat.l566)
and strengthens the authority of the USEPA in
the control of spills of hazardous materials; establishes
strict liability and sets substantial penalties for spills;
and requires the USEPA to develop a list of hazardous materials.
Regulations under the FWPCA require formal spill control and
counter-measure
plans from owners or operators of non-transportation
related facilities which can be expected,
in the event of accident
or malfunction,
to discharge hazardous substances
to the waters
of the United States.
Amendments
(Public Law 95-95)
to the Clean Air Act
(42 U.S.C.
1857 et seq.), August
7,
1977,
added authority for the USEPA to
promulgate design, equipment, work practice or operational stan-
dards
to protect the public health with ample marqin of safety
from the emission of hazardous air pollutants which might reasonab
be anticipated to result in an increase
in mortality or an in-
crease in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible,
illness.
31-138
—5—
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976,
Public Law 94—580
(90 Stat.
2795;
42 U.S.C.
3251 et seq.),
adopted October
21,
1976, establishes, a Federal system for
the management of hazardous waste.
The Act includes pro-
visions requiring the registration of all generators of
hazardous waste; chemical composition and quantities produced;
labeling;
a permit system for generators,
transporters and
disposal sites;
a manifest system and records to assure
treatment, storage or disposal at a permitted site;
and,
contingency plans for effective action to minimize unanticipated
damage from the treatment,
storage and disposal of hazardous
wastes.
Implementation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act,
Public Law 91—596
(84 Stat.
1593;
29 U.S.C.
655 et seq.) by
29 CFR Subtitle B
-
Chapter XVII, Part 1910, Occupational
Safety and Health Standards and the Federal Environmental
Pesticide Control Act of 1972, Public Law 92—516
(86 Stat.
973;
7 U.S.C.
135 et seq.), have imposed many limitations
to reduce
the probability of accidents which result in the release of
toxic materials.
From the foregoing,
the Board concludes that those portions
of the proposed regulations which remain subject
to the statutory
authority of the Board have been significantly narrowed by
specific State and Federal legislation to the point that addi-
tional regulations enacted by the Board at this time based upon
the record herein could not be justified under the criteria of
Section
27 of the Environmental Protection Act.
The Board will
allow the petition of the Agency to withdraw regulatory proposal
R74-7 and will dismiss the proceeding.
IT IS
SO ORDERED.
I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
Control Board, hereby certify the above Order was adopted on
the
c~
day of ______________________,
1978 by a vote of
~tanL.M~rk
Illinois Pollutio
ontrol Board
31-139