ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
March 25,
1976
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
)
)
Complainant,
v.
)
PCB 75—405
I
JAMES
BOYLES,
)
Respondent.
Mr.
Anthony
B. Cameron, Assistant Attorney General, appeared
on
behalf
of
complainant.
Mr.
James
Boyles
appeared
pro
Se.
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by Dr. Satchell):
This case comes before the Board upon a complaint filed
by the Environmental Protection Agency
(Agency) on October
17,
1975.
The Agency alleged that James Boyles
(Respondent)
owns
and operates a refuse disposal site
in violation of Sections
21(b)
and 21(e)
of the Environmental Protection Act,
Ill.
Rev.
Stat.
Ch.
111 1/2 §1021
(1973)
and the Pollution Control
Board’s Solid Waste Regulations, Chapter
7, Rule 202(b) (1).
At the hearing a Stipulation and Proposal for Settlement
was introduced.
There was no testimony or citizen comment
of any kind.
The background facts of the agreement are as follows.
Respondent operates
a refuse disposal site located near
Nauvoo,
Illinois, in the Northwest Quarter of Section 29
of Township 7 North, Range
8 West of the Fourth Principal
Meridian in Hancock County,
Illinois.
The site was first
operated in 1962 under a previous owner.
In September 1973
it was purchased by Respondent.
An application for a
developmental permit was received by the Agency on April 26,
1974.
The permit was denied for lack of information.
Addi-
tional information was supplied and permit No. 1974-69-DE
was granted
in August 1974 to allow Respondent to develop
his site.
The site was in poor condition at the time of purchase.
Much of the work necessary under the permit conditions had
been done when Respondent began being troubled by a physical
problem
which
made
it impossible for him to operate the
landfill
equipment.
Respondent underwent back surgery in
November,
1974.
By
April,
1975
he
was
able
to
operate the
equipment but only for
15 minute periods.
During this time
Respondent’s wife, brother and son operated the equipment
as best they could.
Some problems arose and little develop-
ment occurred.
The
Agency cdmplaint was filed on October 17,
1975.
On or about this same date settlement discussions
were begun.
In November Respondent requested inspection
to determine whether the site was eligible for an operating
permit.
The site was found to be satisfactory and an operating
permit issued November 21,
1975.
The site is open only on Saturdays and accepts less than
100 cubic yards
of refuse per week.
Net taxable income from
the operation was very low in 1974.
Gross income for the
site in 1975 declined by more than one fourth.
Total monthly
expenditures exceed the gross monthly receipts.
Respondent
was laid off his job during his disability and now contracts
for custom bulldozer work when possible on weekdays.
The
Agency verified Respondent’s financial position by reviewing
his 1973 and 1974 tax returns and his financial records for
1975.
The stipulated facts are the Respondent did cause or
allow the operation of his refuse disposal site without an
operating permit and that this constitutes violations of
Rule 202(b) (1)
of the Solid Waste Regulations and Section
21(e)
of the Act.
Respondent did have a development permit
and he did obtain an operating permit on November 21, 1975.
It was also stipulated that there is no alternate solid
waste management site with an operating permit in Illinois
within a 40-mile radius of Respondent’s site.
Since Respondent has obtained an operating permit and
is in compliance and that
his
previous failure to get an
operating permit was at least partially due to his physical
injury a penalty would not be an aid to enforcement.
Also
Respondent’s financial condition mitigates against imposition
of a penalty.
The Board finds that Respondent Boyles was in violation
of the Solid Waste Rules and Regulations 202(b) (1)
and
Section 21(e)
of the Environmental Protection Act.
The Board
also finds the stipulated agreement acceptable.
It is agreed
that with the Respondent’s physical condition, his prompt
compliance when able and his financial dilemma mitigates
against a penalty.
—3—
The allegation of violation of Section 21(b)
of
the Act is dismissed for lack of prosecution.
See
E.P.A.
v.
E.
& E. Hauling, Inc., PCB 74—473
(1975).
This constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions
of law of the Pollution Control Board.
ORDER
It is the order of the Pollution Control Board that:
1.
Respondent James Boyles by operating a solid waste
management site without an operating permit was in
violation of Rule 202(b) (1) of the Board’s Solid
Waste Rules and Regulations and of Section 21(e)
of
the Environmental Protection Act.
2.
The portion of the Complaint alleging violations
of 21(b)
of the Act is dismissed.
Mr. Jacob Dumelle concurred.
I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
Control Board, here~ycertify the abov
Opinion and Order
were adopted the
S’~
day of
______________,
1976 by a
vote of
4_~
4~1/I~
Christan L. Moffet~1erk
Illinois Pollution~5ntrolBoard