ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL

BOARD

July 26, 1973

BURLINGTON NORTHERN,

INC.

)

Petitioner,

v.

)

PCB 73—175

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,

Respondent.

Barry N.

Gutterinan on behalf of Petitioner;

Steven C. Bonaguidi, Assistant Attorney General, on behalf of

Respondent.

OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD

(by Mr. Seaman)

Petition for variance from Rule 3—3.112 of the Rules and

Regulations Governing the Control of Air Pollution was received

by this Board on April

30,

1973.

Petitioner, Burlington

Northern,

Inc., owns and operates a railroad locomotive and

passenger car service and storage facility in Chicago, County of

Cook,

Illinois.

Petitioner requests a variance to permit the operation of

three coal-fired steam boilers emitting particulate matter beyond

the limits prescribed by the Air Pollution Control Regulations

until and during the retirement of these boilers through the

procurement of steam from the Chicago Union Station.

Petitioner

uses the boilers~output for the following operations: operation

of three air compressers which supply air to check brakes and

for maintenance procedures; operation of two steam jacketed

kettles used to clean parts; heating of nine buildings; heating

of 75

Amtrak

and 92 suburban cars;

provision of hot water for

dining car facilities; and provision of showers for employees.

An average of approximately 40 tons of soft coal are burned

per day.

This coal has the following average analysis:

0.81

Sulfur, 11.72

Ash, 31.32

Volatile matter,

4.92

Moisture and

12,182 BTU/Pound.

Petitioner estimates that when burning the

above-described coal particulate emissions of about 6.45 pounds

per million BTU are discharged.

In addition, Petitioner calcu-

lates that the following contaminants are discharged:

Carbon

monoxide

-

31b/hour, hydrocarbons as CH4

-

1.6 lb/hour, nitrogen

oxides as N02

-

24 lb/hour and S02

-

48 lb/hour,

8—617

---

—2—

During the summer months, only one of the three boilers will

be running, one will be on standby and the third will be down for

maintenance.

Petitioner’s facilities are located in a highly

industrial

area,

and,

as of the date of the investigation,

no

complaints had been received by the Agency regarding the opera-

tion of the coal-fired boilers.

There is no pollution control equipment on the stack of

Petitioner’s power plant.

The proposed means of controlling emis-

sions is to shut down this plant when arrangements to procure

steam from another sou~rcehave been completed.

Petitioner’s Compliance Schedule, which has received Agency

approval, provides for complete abandonment of the existing

coal-fired boilers and steam driven air compressors with steam

requirements to be purchased from the Chicago Union Station

Company and compressed air to be furnished by a new electric

driven compressor.

One combination natural gas

/

light oil

fired boiler will be installed in the Chicago Union Station

Company Power Plant Building.

Petitioner has received assurance

from Peoples Gas, Light and Coke Company that sufficient gas will

be provided to meet requirements.

Complete compliance can be

expected by November 1,

1973.

This Opinion constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions

of law of the Board.

IT IS THE ORDER of the Pollution Control Board that variance

be granted to enable Petitioner

to operate its steam boilers

until November

1,

1973 subject to the following conditions:

1.

Petitioner shall notify the Agency of the completion

of its plans

and specifications.

2.

Petitioner shall notify the Agency of the completion

of its variance program on or before November 1,

1973.

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

;~4~day

of

_____________,

1973, by

a vote of

to

?~

L

8

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