ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
June 5, 2003
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
Complainant,
v.
WESTFIELD HOMES OF ILLINOIS, an
Illinois corporation,
Respondent.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
PCB 03-147
(Enforcement - Water)
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by L.P. Padovan):
On March 13, 2003, the Office of the Attorney General, on behalf of the People of the
State of Illinois (People), filed a complaint against Westfield Homes of Illinois (Westfield
Homes) alleging water pollution and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permit violations.
See
415 ILCS 5/31(c)(1) (2002); 35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.204. Westfield
Homes is a home sales and building company located in Buffalo Grove, Lake County. The
complaint concerns Westfield Home’s residential development called Tiffany Farms, Phase II,
Units 3 and 4, in Antioch, Lake County.
Specifically, the People allege in the complaint that Westfield Homes violated Section
12(a) of the Environmental Protection Act (Act) (415 ILCS 5/12(a) (2002)) and Section 302.203
of the Board’s regulations (35 Ill. Adm. Code 302.203) by causing or allowing silt-laden storm
water from its construction site to flow into a wetland, which caused, threatened, or allowed
water pollution. The People further allege that Westfield Homes violated Section 12(d) of the
Act (415 ILCS 5/12(d) (2002)) by allowing dirt stockpiles to remain on the construction site
without adequate erosion controls such that storm water containing dirt and silt contaminants
flowed into the wetland, creating a water pollution hazard. In addition, the People allege that
Westfield Homes violated Section 12(f) of the Act (415 ILCS 5/12(f) (2002)) and Section
309.146(a) of the Board’s regulations (35 Ill. Adm. Code 309.146(a)) by failing to implement
adequate storm water pollution controls as required by the general NPDES permit for
construction activities and failing to submit “Incidence of Noncompliance” reports to the Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency.
On May 29, 2003, the People filed a stipulation and proposed settlement with Westfield
Homes, accompanied by a request for relief from the hearing requirement of Section 31(c)(1) of
the Act (415 ILCS 5/31(c)(1) (2002)). This filing is authorized by Section 31(c)(2) of the Act
(415 ILCS 5/31(c)(2) (2002)).
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.300(a). Under the proposed
settlement, Westfield Homes neither admits nor denies the alleged violations and agrees to pay a
civil penalty of $15,000.
Unless the Board determines that a hearing is needed, the Board must cause notice of the
stipulation, proposed settlement, and request for relief from the hearing requirement. Any person
may file a written demand for hearing within 21 days after receiving the notice. If anyone timely
files a written demand for hearing, the Board will deny the request for relief and hold a hearing.
See
415 ILCS 5/31(c)(2) (2002); 35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.300(b), (c). The Board directs the Clerk
of the Board to provide the required notice.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, certify that the Board
adopted the above order on June 5, 2003, by a vote of 6-0.
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board