ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
August 5
,
1976
MT.
VERNON
ROD
AND
GUN
CLUB,
Petitioner,
v.
)
PCB 76—160
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
)
Respondent.
OPINION
AND
ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by Dr.
Satchell):
The Mt. Vernon Rod and Gun Club
(Petitioner)
filed a
variance petition on May 17, 1976 seeking a variance from
Rule 203(h)
of Chapter
3: Water Pollution Regulations
(Regulations).
Petitioner seeks a variance to apply twenty
gallons of Nox-fish,
a five percent formulation of rotenone,
to Miller Lake in Jefferson County.
The purpose is to reduce
the numbers of small sunfish so that the remaining sunfish
will become larger.
No hearing was held.
The relief sought is identical to that sought in
PCB 75-228
(18 PCB 566) and the Recommendation received
from the Agency on July 12, 1976 is likewise identical.
The
Opinion and Order
(by Mr.
Dumelle)
in PCB 75-228 was adopted
by the Board September 18,
1975 without dissent.
The only
difference noted in the instant petition and that submitted
in PCB 75—228 is that in 1975 the Petitioner was called the
“Mt. Vernon Gun and Sportsman Club.”
The Board does not
need to be concerned whether these are
in fact one and the
same organization as the treatments will be supervised by
Mr.
Roy Lockart, Fishery Biologist, Department of Conservation.
The facts and conclusions
in this case are identical
to
the facts and findings
in PCB 75-228.
For convenience of
reference, the major points are restated.
Petitioner,
a
recreational organization, owns and uses the 131—acre lake;
also,
the lake serves as a backup water reservoir for Mt.
Vernon.
In the concentration to be supplied, 0.1 ppm in
the shore line area, the average concentration would be
0.002 ppm and if treated water were to reach the water treat-
ment plant the level of rotenone would probably not be
measurable.
The low rate of application and the rapid
degradation of rotenone assures little or no harm to all
non-target species.
23
—
273
—2—
In spite of the apparent absence of health hazard the
Agency recommends and the Board concurs
in certain pre-
cautionary measures as detailed in the conditions for
variance in the Order.
The Board finds that the treatment proposed is the
only practical method of fish population management, that
no hazard to public water supply is posed with precautions
given, and that an unreasonable hardship would be imposed
by variance denial in the instant case.
Therefore,
a vari-
ance from Rule 203(h)
is granted to the Mt. Vernon Rod and
Gun Club.
This Opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact
and conclusions of law.
ORDER
The Pollution Control Board hereby grants the Mt. Vernon
Rod and Gun Club a variance from Rule 203(h)
of Chapter
3
subject to the following conditions:
1.
That the rotenone treatment of Miller Lake be
limited to one application during the 1976
calendar year.
2.
That the application of rotenone not exceed
twenty gallons of solution of five percent liquid
rotenone.
3.
That the application of rotenone be applied by
personnel of the Illinois Department of Con-
servation.
4.
That the Agency be notified at least twenty-
four hours prior to the time of application.
5.
That the Petitioner effectively remove all fish
killed by the rotenone treatment from Miller Lake
and dispose of them in an environmentally sound
manner.
6.
That prior to the application of the rotenone the
surface level of Lake Miller be lowered,
if
necessary,
to a level below the spillway which
will assure that no discharge of the treated water
will occur; and that Petitioner assure that no water
from Lake Miller is discharged by the connecting
pipe to Jaycee Lake for a period of two weeks after
the application of the rotenone solution.
23
—
274
—3—
7.
That Petitioner take a sample of its finished
water three days after the application of
rotenone to Miller Lake and forward a sample
to the Agency for analysis.
Petitioner shall
also forward additional samples of its finished
water as may be required by the Agency.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
Control Board, hereby certify the above Opinion
d Order
were adopted o~the
~
day of
____________,
1976
by a vote of
rb.D
~
Illinois Pollution Con
Board
23
—
275