ILLINOIS POLLUTION
    CONTROL BOARD
    May
    23,
    1974
    ENVIRONMENTAL
    PROTECTION
    AGENCY
    COMPLAINANT
    )
    v.
    )
    PCB
    73—493
    LOUIS
    DI CICCIO
    )
    RESPONDENT
    )
    STEPHEN
    Z. WEISS,
    ASSISTANT AT~QRNEY GENERAL,
    in behalf
    of the
    ENVIRONMENTAL
    PROTECTION
    AGENCY
    PAUL
    MARTIN,
    ATTORNEY,
    in
    behalf
    of
    LOUIS
    DI
    CICCIO
    OPINION
    AND
    ORDER
    OF
    THE
    BOARD
    (by
    Mr,,
    Narder)
    This
    case
    comes
    to
    the
    Board
    on
    complaint
    of
    the
    Environmental
    Protection Agency, charging Respondent
    with
    violations
    of the Enviror
    mental
    Protection
    Act, the Rules and Regulations for Refuse Disposal
    Sites and Facilities
    (promulgated by the Department of Public Health)
    remaining in effect until July
    27,
    1973,
    pursuant
    to
    Sec.
    49
    (c)
    of
    the Environmental Protection Act,. and the Solid Waste Regulations,
    Chapter
    7,
    of
    the Board~s Rules and Regulations.
    The complaint was
    filed
    November
    19, 1973.
    An amendment
    to
    the comolaint was
    filed
    on
    January 10,
    1974, relating to Paragraphs
    S
    and 10 of the complaint.
    Respondent
    filed
    his
    answer on March
    15,
    1974.
    Hearing
    was
    held
    on
    April
    8,
    19 74,
    at
    the
    LaSalle
    County
    Ccurthou~
    Ottawa, Illinois.
    The complaint charges:
    1)
    That
    Respondent
    Di
    Ciccio
    owns
    certain
    property
    loc-
    ated
    1
    1/2
    miles
    south
    of
    Ottawa,
    Illinois,
    on
    U.S.
    Highway
    #6,
    which
    Respondent has used
    as
    a
    refuse dis~
    posal
    site;
    2)
    That
    since
    July
    1,
    1970,
    Respondent
    has
    operated
    a
    ref~
    use
    disposal
    site
    on
    his
    property
    without
    a
    perm±t
    issueO
    by
    the
    Invironmental
    Protection
    Agency
    in
    violation
    of
    Sec.
    21
    (e)
    of the Environmental Protection
    Act.;
    E~)
    That
    from
    on
    or
    about
    July
    1,
    1970,
    and
    continuing
    cv-
    ~ry day
    to
    the
    filing
    of
    the
    complaint. including
    but
    rot limited to
    certain
    dates
    itated
    in
    Paragraph
    S
    the
    romplaint,
    Respondent
    caused
    or
    allowed
    the
    oioen
    iT
    367

    —2—
    dumping of garbage
    in violation of Sec.
    21
    (a)
    of the Environmental Protection Act;
    4)
    That from on or about July
    1,
    1970, and continu-
    ing every day to the filing of the complaint, inclu-
    ding
    but
    not
    limited
    to
    certain
    dates
    stated
    in
    Par-
    agraph
    7 of
    the
    complaint,
    Respondent
    caused
    or
    allowed the open dumping of refuse,
    in violation of
    Sec.
    21
    (b)
    of the Environmental Protection Act;
    5)
    That on or about July
    27,
    1973, and continuing every
    day of operating, including but not limited to Dec-
    ember 17,
    1973, Respondent caused or allowed the open
    burning of refuse at the site in violation of Sec.
    9
    (a)
    of the Environmental Protection Act;
    6)
    That on or about July
    1,
    1970, until July
    27,
    1973,
    and continuing every day of operation to the filing
    of the complaint, including but. not limited to cer-
    tain dates specified in Paragraph
    9 of the complaint,
    Respondent caused or allowed the open dumping of ref-
    use
    at the site,
    in violation of Rule
    3.04
    of the
    Rules and Regulations for Refuse Disposal Sites
    (here-
    inafter referred to as “Rules”);
    7)
    That on or about July
    1,
    1970,
    until
    July 27,
    1973,
    and continuing every day of operation to the filing
    of the complaint,
    including but not limited to Dec-
    ember 17,
    1973, Respondent caused or allowed open
    burning on the site in violation of Rule 3.05 of the
    “Rules;”
    8)
    That on or about July
    1,
    1970,
    until July 27,
    1973,
    and continuing every day of operation to the filing
    of this complaint, including but not limited to cer-
    tain dates specified in Paragraph 11 of the complaint,
    Respondent failed to adequately fence said site, pro-
    vide an entrance gate which could be
    locked and post
    hours of operation,
    in violation of Rule 4.03
    (a)
    of
    the “Rules”;
    9)
    That from on or about July 27,
    1973, and continuing
    every day of operation to the filing of this complaint,
    including but not limited to certain dates specified
    in Paragraph 12 of the complaint,
    Respondent failed
    to provide fencing, gates or other measures to control
    access to the site,
    in
    violation
    of Rule
    314
    (c)
    of
    Chapt~er 7 of the Board’s Rules and Regulations;
    10)
    That from on or about July
    1,
    1970, until July 27,
    1973, and continuing every day of operation to the
    12—368

    —3—
    filing of this complaint, including but not limited
    to certain dates
    listed in Paragraph 13 of the com-
    plaint, Respondent failed to confine refuse to the
    smallest practical area in violation of Rule 5.03 of
    the
    “Rules”;
    11)
    That from on or about July 1,
    1970, until July 27,
    1973,
    and continuing every day of operation to the
    filing of this complaint, including but not limited
    to certain dates listed in Paragraph 14, Respondent
    failed to provide supervision of unloading in viola-
    tion of Rule 5.04 of the “Rules”;
    12)
    That from on or about July 1,
    1970,
    until July
    27,
    1973, and continuing every day of operation to the
    filing of this complaint,
    including but not limited
    to certain dates listed in Paragraph 15, Respondent
    failed to provide sufficient equipment in operation-
    al condition in violation of Rule 5.05 of the
    “Rules”;
    13)
    That from on or about July
    27,
    1973, and continuing
    every day of operation to the filing of this complaint,
    including but not limited to certain dates specified
    in Paragraph 16, Respondent failed to supply suffic-
    ient equipment, personnel,
    and supervision to ensure
    that operations comply with the Act and Regulations,
    in violation of Rule 304 of Chapter
    7 of the Board’s
    Rules and Regulations.
    14)
    That from on or about July
    1, 1970,
    until July 27,
    1973,
    and continuing every day of operation to the
    filing of this complaint,
    including but not limited
    to certain dates listed in Paragraph 17, Respondent
    failed to properly spread and compact refuse admitted
    to the site in violation of Rule 5.06
    of the “Rules”;
    15)
    That from on or about July
    27,
    1973,
    and continuing
    every day of operation to the filing of this complaint,
    including but not limited to certain dates specified
    in Paragraph 18, Respondent failed to spread and com-
    pact refuse
    in layers within the cell
    as such refuse
    was deposited in the toe of the fill in violation of
    Rule 303
    (b)
    of Chapter
    7 of the Board’s Rules and
    Regulations;
    16)
    That from on or about July
    1,
    1970, until July 27,
    1973, and continuing every day of operation to the
    filing of this complaint, including but not limited
    to certain dates listed in Paragraph 19, Respondent
    failed to provide daily cover at the site in viola-
    tion of Rule 5.07
    (a)
    of the
    “Rules”;
    17)
    That from on or about July 27,
    1973,
    and continuing
    every day of operation to the filing of this complaint,
    12— 369

    —4—
    including but not limited to certain dates specified
    in Paragraph 20, Respondent failed to place a compacted
    layer of at least six inches of suitable cover material
    over all exposed refuse at the end of each day of opera-
    tion in violation of Rule 305
    (a)
    of Chapter
    7, of the
    Board’s Rules and Regulations.
    18)
    That from on or about July 1,
    1970, until July 27,
    1973,
    and continuing every day of operation to the
    filing of this complaint,
    includiftg but not limited
    to certain dates listed in Paragraph 21, Respondent
    failed to conduct salvage operations
    in an area remote from
    the operation face of the fill, and failed to properly store
    salvage materials so as not to create a nuisance, rat har—
    borage, or unsightly appearance,
    in violation of Rule 5.10
    (b)
    and
    Cd)
    of the “Rules”;
    19)
    That from on or about July 27,
    1973, and continuing
    every day of operation to the filing of this complaint,
    including but not limited to certain dates specified
    in Paragraph 22, Respondent failed to confine salvage oper—
    ations to an area remote from the operating face of the
    landfill and failed to remove all salvage materials
    ftorn
    the site daily,
    or separate and store such materials so as
    not to create a nuisance, vector harborage,
    or unsightly
    appearance in violation of Rules
    307
    (b) and
    Cd)
    of Chap-
    ter
    7 of the Rules and Regulations of the Board;
    20)
    That from on or about July
    27,
    1973, and continuing
    every
    day
    of
    operation
    to
    the
    filing
    of
    this
    complaint,
    including but not limited to certain dates specified in
    Paragraph 23, Respondent failed to collect all litter at
    the end of the working day and store the litter in a cov-
    ered container or place the litter in the fill, covered
    and compacted, in violation of Rule 306 of Chapter 7 of
    the Board’s Rules and Regulations;
    21)
    That from on or about July 27,
    1973,
    and continuing
    every day of operation to the filing of this complaint,
    including but not
    limited
    to
    certain
    dates
    specified
    in
    Paragraph
    24, Respondent failed to provide adequate meas~
    ures to control vectors
    in violation of Rule
    314
    (F)
    of
    Chapter
    7 of the Board’s Rules and Regulations.
    The Environmental Protection Agency’s case of violations consistei
    of the testimony of Robert Rocha of the
    Agency’s Division of Land Polli
    ution Control.
    Mr.
    Rocha testified as
    to
    having
    inspected
    Respondent’s
    property many times,
    His observations
    as to those inspections
    were
    memorialized
    in
    hiE
    reports,
    Environmental
    Protection
    Agency
    Group
    Ex~
    hibit
    4.
    Violation of Sec.
    21
    Ce)
    of the Environmental Protection Acrr
    Section 21
    (e)
    of the Act requires that no refuse collection opera-
    12—3Th

    —5—
    tion, except that generated by the owner’s own operation, shall be con-
    ducted without a permit issued by the Agency.
    Mr. Rocha testified that
    Mr.
    Di Ciccio claimed not to need a permit, because he never ran an open
    ump
    (R.
    56).
    Mr.
    Di
    Ciccio
    also
    signed
    an
    inspection
    form
    prepared
    by
    Rocha on March 22, 1972, such form indicating that no permit had been
    issued by the Agency
    (Agency Exhibit 4-C).
    Testimony
    by
    Mr.
    Rocha
    also
    showed that material was being brought in from sources other than Re-
    spondent’s activities
    (Agency Exhibit 10,
    R.
    62).
    Respondent also ad-
    mitted to receiving money from outside sources to dump on his property.
    His total receipts were $2,234 and his expenses were $802.50. Respond-
    ent intends to use the remaining funds to close up the facility
    (R.
    112,
    Resp.
    Ex.
    #6)
    The Board
    finds
    Respondent
    in
    violation
    of
    Sec.
    21
    Ce)
    of
    the Envir-
    onmental Protection Act.
    Violation of Sec.
    21
    (a)
    of the Environmental Protection Act:
    Sec.
    21
    (a)
    of the Act prohibits the open dumping of garbage.
    Garbage
    is
    defined
    in
    Sec.
    3
    (e)
    of
    the
    Act
    as
    waste
    related
    to
    food
    and
    produce
    handling
    and
    processing,
    storage
    and
    sale.
    The
    reports
    of
    Mr.
    Rocha,
    which
    were
    not
    rebutted
    in
    any
    way
    by
    Respondent,
    show
    that
    he
    noted
    refuse that was putrescible
    (Agency Exhibits
    4, A,
    C through R), and
    garbage
    (as noted in Agency Exhibits
    4,
    S, T).
    Mr. Rocha testified
    that when he marked putrescible material in the reports, he was in
    fact
    noting garbage at the site
    CR.
    14).
    The
    Board
    finds
    Respondent
    in
    violation
    of
    Sec.
    21
    (a)
    of
    the
    Act.
    Violation of Sec.
    21
    (b)
    of the Environmental Protection Act:
    Open
    dumping
    is
    defined
    in
    Sec.
    3
    (g)
    of the Environmental Protection
    Act as the consolidation of refuse from one or more sources
    at
    a central
    disposal site that does not fulfill the requirements of a sanitary land-
    fill.
    The record, through Mr.
    Rocha’s reports
    (Agency Group Exhibit
    4)
    and pictures
    (Exhibits
    5-9),
    shows
    that
    such
    material
    was
    dumped
    on
    Mr.
    Di Ciccio’s property.
    Agency Exhibits
    49 and P indicate the disposal
    of
    1000
    tires,
    old
    appliances,
    etc.
    The Board
    finds
    that
    Respondent
    violated
    Sec.
    21
    (b)
    of
    the
    Environ--
    mental Protection Act.
    Violation
    of
    Sec.
    9
    (c)
    of
    the
    Environmental
    Protection
    Act:
    Sec.
    9
    Cc)
    of
    the
    Act
    prohibits
    open
    burning
    of
    refuse,
    or
    salvage
    by burning except as regulated by the Board.
    Mr.
    Rocha testified
    to
    seeing
    open
    burning
    of
    refuse
    on
    the
    site
    in
    question
    (R.
    63),
    This
    statement was never rebutted by Respondent.
    The Board finds that Re-
    spondent violated Sec.
    9
    Cc)
    of the Environmental Protection Act.
    Violation
    of
    Rule
    3.04
    of the “Rules:”
    Violation of Rule 3.04
    (open dumping)
    is proved by the same facts
    as
    needed
    to
    prove
    violations
    of Sec.
    21
    (b) of the Act.
    Since that
    iolation has been proven, the Board finds Respondent in violation of
    ule 3.04, based
    on
    the evidence
    found
    above relating to Sec.
    21
    (b)
    12—371

    of the Act.
    Violation of Rule 3.05 of the “Rules:”
    Proof of violation of Rule 3.05
    (open
    burning
    of
    refuse)
    is
    the
    same
    as the proof of violation of Sec.
    9
    (c)
    of the Act.
    Violation of
    9
    (c)
    of the Act being established above, the Board finds Respondent violated
    Rule 3.05 of the
    “Rules.”
    Violation of Rule 4.03
    (a)
    of the “Rules:”
    Rule 4.03
    (a)
    provides that before a landfill site can be placed in
    operation, the site must be adequately fenced, have an entrance gate
    that can be locked, and a posting of opening and closing hours.
    In the
    reports of Mr.
    Rocha,
    there was indicated the fact that this Rule has
    not been complied with
    (Agency Exhibits
    4,
    B through R).
    The Board finds that Respondent has violated Rule 4.03
    (a)
    of the
    “Rules.”
    Violation of Rule 314
    (c)
    of
    Chapter
    7:
    Rule
    314
    Cc)
    of Chapter 7 requires fencing, gates,
    or other measures
    to control access to the site.
    Mr.
    Rocha’s reports indicate that fenc-
    ing
    and
    access
    to
    the
    site
    were
    inadequate
    to
    control
    access.
    (Agency
    Exhibits
    4,
    S,T,U.)
    Agency Exhibit
    7 shows fencing that the Board con-
    siders inadequate.
    The Board finds Respondent violated Rule 314
    (c)
    of Chapter
    7 of th?i
    Board’s
    Rules
    and
    Regulations.
    Violation
    of
    Rule
    5.03
    of
    the
    “Rules:”
    Rule
    5.03 provides that “dumping
    of
    refuse
    on
    the
    site
    shall
    be con-
    fined to the smallest practicable area.”
    All of Mr.
    Roche’s
    reports
    indicate that the area of dumping was not contained.
    (Agency Group Ex-
    hibit
    4,
    A-D.)
    Agency Exhibit
    6 is
    a photograph that shows material
    spread over a wide area.
    Therefore,
    the
    Board
    finds
    that
    Respondent
    violated
    Rule
    5.03
    of
    the
    “Rules.”
    Violation
    of
    Rule
    5.04
    of
    the
    “Rules:”
    Rule
    5.04
    provides
    that
    unloading
    shall
    be
    supervised.
    Mr.
    Rocha’s
    reports
    indicated
    that
    on
    the
    days
    of
    his
    inspection
    unloading
    was
    un-
    supervised
    (Agency
    Exhibits
    4,
    B-O).
    This
    evidence
    going
    unrebutted,
    the
    Board finds
    that Respondent has
    violated
    Rule
    5.04
    of
    the
    Rules.
    Violation
    of Rule
    5,05
    of the
    “Rules:”
    Rule
    5.05
    provides
    that
    there
    he
    sufficient
    equipment
    on
    the
    site
    in
    order
    to
    operate
    the landfill according
    to the approved plan.
    There
    12—372

    —7
    are indications
    in the record that there is no equipment on the site,
    when Reports
    (Agency Exhibits
    4, A
    &
    B) were completed,
    and that there
    was inadequate equipment when Reports C through 0 were made.
    The Board finds that there being no approved plan, that it can not
    find Respondent in violation of a rule that measures the adequacy of
    equipment by what is required in such plan.
    Violation of Rule 304 of Chapter 7:
    Rule 304 provides that there be adequate equipment, personnel,
    and
    supervision available at the site to ensure the operation’s compliance
    with the Act, Regulations,
    and permit.
    Mr. Rocha’s reports indicate
    that sufficient equipment was not on the site when making some of his
    reports
    (Agency Exhibits
    4, S,T, and U).
    It should also be noted that
    the record indicates
    as to when bulldozers came on the site to compact
    and place cover on the site
    (Resp.
    Exhibits 7,8,9)
    .
    This indicates
    that this type of equipment was not available for daily compacting and
    spreading.
    Therefore, the Board finds that Respondent violated Rule 304 of
    Chapter
    7 of the Board’s Rules
    and. Regulations.
    Violation of Rule 5.06 of the Rules
    and Rule
    303
    (b)
    of Chapter
    7:
    Rule 5.06 and Rule
    303 of Chapter 7 provide that as soon as refuse
    is admitted to the site,
    it must be compacted.
    The same evidence that
    applies to the violation of Rule
    304 of Chapter
    7 and Rule 5.05 of the
    Rules applies to this charge,
    as to compact refuse sufficiently, there
    must be adequate equipment on the site.
    Pho~ographstaken on separate
    days of the same material also indicate that spreading and compacting
    was not done immediately
    (Agency Exhibit 8).
    Therefore the Board finds Respondent violated Rule 5.06 of the Rules
    and Rule 303
    (b) of Chapter
    7.
    Violation of Rule 5.07
    (a)
    of the “Rules” and 305
    (a)
    of Chapter 7:
    Both of these rules apply to putting a six-inch daily cover on the
    site.
    Mr. Rocha’s reports
    (Agency Exhibits
    4,
    B-U)
    indicate that on
    his inspections daily cover was not applied.
    Photographs taken on con-
    secutive days
    (Agency Exhibits
    6 and
    8)
    also indicate that daily cover
    has not been applied.
    Therefore the Board finds that Respondent violated Rule 5.07
    (a) of
    the “Rules”
    and Rule 305
    (a)
    of Chapter
    7 of the Board’s Rules and Reg-
    ulations.
    Violation of Rules 5.10
    (b) and
    Cd)
    of the
    “Rules” and Rules 307
    (b)~nd (d)
    of Chapter
    7:
    Both of these rules apply to salvage operations.
    The evidence shows
    12—373

    —8—
    that
    Mr.
    Di
    Ciccio
    has
    been
    storing
    wood
    pallets
    on his property (Agen-
    cy Exhibit #5).
    Mr.
    Rocha’s reports indicate that the materials
    were
    kept in an”unsatisfactory
    manner
    (Agency Exhibits
    4,
    C-O).
    Also in
    Agency’s Exhibit
    5, two photographs indicate the material was not re-
    moved daily.
    Therefore,
    the Board finds Respondent violated Rule 5.10
    (b)
    and
    Cd)
    of the “Rules” and Rule 307
    (b)
    and
    Cd)
    of Chapter
    7 of the Board’s
    Rules and Regulations.
    Violation of Rule 306 of Chapter
    7:
    Rule 306 of Chapter 7 states that blown litter shall be collected daily
    and stored or compacted into the fill.
    Mr. Rocha’s reports
    indicate that
    at
    least once while he was inspecting,
    litter had been a problem
    (Agen-
    cy Exhibit
    4
    S).
    Taken along
    with
    Agency Exhibit
    #6, pictures showing
    litter
    over the site, the Board finds Respondent violated Rule
    306 of
    Chapter
    7 of
    the Board’s
    Rules and Regulations.
    Violation of
    Rule 314
    (f)
    of
    Chapter
    7:
    Evidence
    of
    vectors
    was
    noted.
    in
    Mr.,
    Rocha’s report of
    September 10,
    1973
    (Agency
    Exhibit
    S).
    Therefore
    the
    Board
    finds
    Respondent
    violated
    Sec.
    314
    (f)
    of
    Chapter
    7
    of
    the
    Board’s
    Rules and Regulations.
    It
    should
    be
    noted
    that
    no
    evidence
    was
    put
    on
    by
    Respondent
    to
    rebut
    the truth of
    the
    testimony
    of
    Mr.
    Rocha
    and
    the
    veracity
    of
    the
    reports
    The
    Agency
    s
    only other witness
    was
    Arthur
    Kraft,
    an
    Environmental
    Protection
    Specialist
    with
    the Division of
    Land
    Pollution
    Control.
    He
    testified
    as to
    three
    ways
    in
    which
    Respondent
    could bring his
    site
    ~nto con
    ~or~ance
    qth t~ Cequratcois
    lieu are
    as
    follows:
    ~i.
    (A)
    Cut
    slope
    down to
    a
    two—to—one
    ratio
    (Tr.
    87)
    (B)
    Cover
    ~Tr,.
    87)
    with
    impervious
    material
    two
    feet thick
    iTr.
    88)
    (C)
    Fence
    in area
    (Tr,
    88).
    (B)
    Be
    completed
    by
    September
    28,
    1974
    (Tr.
    88)
    ~2,
    (A)
    Fill toe
    with
    clay
    or
    other
    suitable cover
    materia,1
    (Tr,,
    80)
    and
    bring
    this
    to
    a
    two-
    tc~~one
    ratio
    (Tr.
    85)
    (3)
    Fence
    in
    area
    (Tr.
    88)
    (C)
    Be completed by
    September
    28,
    1974
    (Tr,
    88)
    ~3.
    (A)
    Fill toe area with
    road
    bed
    material
    (Tr.
    88)
    to
    :hrin,q area
    o a twc—to—one
    slope
    (Tr.
    85)
    ~r.
    ~ci
    ~
    I
    T
    ~
    som~
    w’oe~-meable mal-eriat
    ~Tr..75)
    C)
    Be completed
    lit
    Pull
    28
    ,
    1974
    (T.r
    .
    88)
    a the titee
    .fo,r rompeerIon .betweea
    •eiIerie
    1
    :2
    al5erne.tioe
    3
    it
    mu
    to
    hates
    i.:~,
    11oh
    nor. natrail. mattn
    al.

    —9—
    After
    Mr.
    Kraft’s
    testimony,
    the
    Agency
    rested
    its
    case.
    Respondent in his brief raised several legal issues, to which the
    Board now turns
    its attention.
    The first issue raised is whether by not replying to Respondent’s
    answers in this matter, Complainant admitted certain affirmative de-
    fenses therein contained.
    Respondent refers to the Civil Practice
    Act, wherein the rule is, all material not specifically denied is ass-
    umed admitted.
    Rule 308
    (a)
    of the Board’s Procedural: Rules sets forth
    the exact opposite approach to pleadings.
    All allegations not admitted
    are
    presumed
    denied.
    Therefore,
    the
    Board
    finds
    Complainant
    has
    ad-
    mitted
    to
    no
    affirmative
    defenses
    stated
    in Respondent’s answer.
    The
    second
    argument
    goes
    to
    whether
    the
    Agency
    is
    estopped
    from
    prosecuting
    Respondent,
    because
    of
    affirmative
    statements which Re-
    spondent relied on, made by Agency representatives.
    Respondent cites
    to the Board the case Wachta
    v. Pollution Control Board,
    289 N.E.
    2d
    484,
    for
    the
    proposition
    that
    in
    the
    proper
    case
    the
    Environmental
    Protection Agency will be estopped from prosecuting violations,
    where
    it
    would
    be
    inequitable
    for
    it
    to do so.
    The Board finds that
    Respond-
    ent
    has
    not
    established a case against
    the
    Agency
    for
    estoppel.
    it
    appears
    for
    the
    entire
    time
    that
    Mr.
    Di
    Ciccio’s
    property
    was
    under
    in-
    vestigation,
    Mr.
    Rocha
    was
    submitting
    unsatisfactory
    reports,
    which
    Re--
    spondent was aware of and which reports he in fact had signed
    (Agency
    Exhibits
    4 C,D,E,S,T,U,X).
    The Wachta
    case
    is
    one
    wherein
    the
    Board
    tried
    to deny
    a
    variance
    to
    a
    developer
    after
    the
    Sanitary
    Water Board
    had
    issued
    a
    permit
    and
    the
    developer
    had
    spent
    substantial
    sums of
    money
    in developing the property..
    In this
    case, we have an enforce-
    ment action.
    The Board feels
    to prove up a case of estoppel
    .in an en-
    forcement action,
    Respondent must
    meet a high burden of proof.
    The
    reason is that in an enforcement action, the Agency’s duty
    is to bring
    about
    an
    end
    ~
    violations
    of
    the
    Act
    and
    Regulations,
    which
    are
    pro--
    mulgated
    to
    preserve
    the
    health
    and
    welfare
    of
    the
    community.
    There-
    fore,
    the
    Board
    finds
    that
    the
    Agency
    is
    not
    estopped
    from
    bringing
    this
    action
    against
    Respondent.
    Respondent
    owns
    the
    property
    in
    question
    in
    joint
    tenancy
    w.ith
    his
    wife
    (R,
    103)
    He
    is
    78
    years
    old
    (R.
    105)
    ,
    and
    has
    been
    retired
    since
    1954
    (R.
    104).
    His
    major
    source
    of
    income
    is
    his
    monthly
    social
    secur-~
    ity
    check
    of
    $189
    (R,
    106)
    .
    He
    has
    been
    putting
    fill
    in
    his
    property
    since
    the
    early
    1950’s
    when
    the
    State
    of
    Illinois
    began
    hauling
    in mat-
    anal
    from
    a
    test
    road
    site
    (R.
    107).
    It
    appears
    that
    Mr.
    Di
    Ciccio
    i.e
    not
    running
    a
    commercial
    dumping
    operation.
    When
    the Agency
    began
    in—
    veSticrating
    the
    site,
    Respondent understood the suggestions
    of
    the Agen--
    cy
    to
    be
    that
    he
    must
    compact
    and
    cover
    the
    area.
    This gave
    Respondent
    major
    problems
    because
    he lacked sufficient funds
    in order
    to
    complete
    this
    type
    of
    project.
    In order to raise
    money
    to
    rent
    a
    bulldozer
    (which
    from
    the
    record
    costs
    about
    $30
    per
    hour,
    Resp.
    .Ex.
    7,8,
    and
    9)
    he be-
    gan
    charging
    people
    to
    dump
    on
    his
    property,
    thereby
    compounding
    his
    violattons
    (R.
    112)
    Respondent appears
    to the Board to be a sincere man whose only oh—
    jective at this
    time
    is
    to
    stop
    dumping on the property and end .sis
    v:Lol-~
    12
    375

    10
    ations of the Act.
    Testimony was introduced showing a substantial amount
    o,f fill would
    be available to Respondent from repair work on Boyce Memorial Drive,
    in
    LaSalle County
    (R.
    25—28).
    Respondent has contacted Mr. Vincent Dettore,
    who testified that should Mr.
    Di Ciccio want fill,
    it would be made
    available to him.
    It was also indicated in the record that Respondent has made arrange-
    ments for this fill to be
    brought
    to
    his
    property
    by
    the
    road
    contract-
    or
    and to cover and compact the material dn the site
    (R.
    114).
    The Board takes notice of the fact that
    Mr.
    Di
    Ciccio is of limited
    means.
    The Board also notes that part of the problem in this case
    could be traced to the lack of understanding of what the Agency’s rep-
    resentatives were telling him to do.
    While ignorance of the law is no
    excuse, the Board feels no good purpose will be served by imposing
    a
    fine in this case.
    Any
    fine that the Board would impose would only
    cause a greater hardship on Respondent in attempting to pay for the
    closure of the site.
    Respondent will be ordered to
    submit
    a. plan to the Environmental
    Protection Agency detailing the closure of the site so as to comply
    with applicable rules and regulations of the Board.
    This Opinion constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions of
    law of the Board.
    ORDER
    IT
    IS
    THE
    ORDER
    of
    the
    Pollution
    Control
    Board
    that:
    1)
    Respondent, Louis Di Ciccio, has Violated Sections
    21
    (e),
    21
    (a),
    21
    (b) and
    9
    Cc)
    of the Environmental Protection Act,
    Rules
    3.04,
    3.05, 4.03
    (a), 5.03,
    5.04,
    5.06,
    5.07,
    5.10
    (b)
    and
    (d)
    of the Rules
    and Regulations for Refuse Disposal Sites
    and Facilities, and Rules
    314
    Cc)
    ,
    303
    (b)
    ,
    305
    (a)
    ,
    307
    (b)
    and
    Cd),
    306, and 314
    (f) of Chapter
    7 of the Board’s Rules
    and Regulations.
    2)
    Respondent,
    Louis Di Ciccio, shall within
    30 days of receipt
    of this Order,
    submit a compliance plan to the Environmental
    Protection Agency, Division of Land Pollution Control, 2200
    Churchill Road, Springfield, Illinois 62706, detailing a plan
    to bring the site into compliance with the Act and all applic-
    able Rules and Regulations of the Board.
    3)
    Within 90 days of the receipt of this Order,
    Respondent shall
    cease and deáist all violations of the Act, and all applicable
    Rules and Regulations of the Board,
    at Respondent’s landfill
    site.
    12—376

    11
    -
    IT IS SO ORDERED.
    I,
    Christan
    L.
    Moffett,
    Clerk
    of the Illinois Pollution Control
    Board,
    certify
    that
    the
    above
    Opinion
    and
    Order
    was
    adopted
    by
    the
    Board on the
    .~
    ~
    day of
    ~
    ,
    1974, by a vote of
    ,.~
    to
    ~
    ~
    12—377

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