ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
October 2, 1997
IN THE MATTER OF:
PETITION OF AMOCO OIL COMPANY
FOR ADJUSTED STANDARD FROM
35 ILL. ADM. CODE 721.132
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AS 96-6
(Adjusted Standard - RCRA)
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by M. McFawn):
This matter comes before the Board upon the petition filed by Amoco Oil Company
(Amoco) on December 28, 1995, as amended on August 11, 1997. By its amended petition,
Amoco seeks an adjusted standard to exclude certain waste in its “Pond 1 Landfill” in Wood
River, Illinois, from “hazardous” classification under 35 Ill. Adm. Code 721 Subpart D,
pursuant to 35 Ill. Adm. Code 720.122.
Amoco filed its initial “Petition for Adjustment of Standard Pursuant to 415 ILCS
5/28.1” (Petition) on December 28, 1995. On March 20, 1996, the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency (Agency) filed its “Response to Petition for Adjusted Standard”
(Response). In its Response, the Agency recommended denial of the Petition due to an
asserted insufficiency of information presented in the Petition. Among the issues raised by the
Agency was that at least four samples must be tested to adequately represent the waste, and
Amoco took only three samples. Response at 3-4. On August 11, 1997, after discussions with
the Agency, Amoco filed an “Amendment to Petition for Adjusted Standard Pursuant to 415
ILCS 5/28.1” (Amended Petition) providing additional information. Although Amoco
submitted additional analysis explaining why the samples tested were representative of the
waste, the Amended Petition does not reflect testing of any additional waste samples. The
Agency filed its “Amended Response to Amended Petition for Adjusted Standard” on
September 12, 1997, in which it recommended that the Board grant the adjusted standard with
the conditions indicated in the Amended Petition. The Agency does not address whether the
samples are adequate to satisfy RCRA delisting requirements.
Certain requirements are imposed in connection with RCRA hazardous waste delisting
petitions under 35 Ill. Adm. Code 720.122. Of particular significance in this case is
Subsection (h), which provides:
h)
Demonstration samples must consist of enough
representative samples, but in no case less than four
samples, taken over a period of time sufficient to
represent the variability or the uniformity of the waste.
Also of import in this case is Subsection (q), which provides:
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q)
The Board will not grant any petition that would render
the Illinois RCRA program less stringent than if the
decision were made by U.S. EPA.
Subsection (q) is of significance because 35 Ill. Adm. Code 720.122(h) derives from 40 CFR
260.22(h).
Notwithstanding Amoco’s analysis of adequacy of the number of samples, it appears
undisputed that less than the required four samples have been submitted. In light of the
directive of 35 Ill. Adm. Code 720.122(q) and the provisions of 40 CFR 260.22(h), the parties
are directed to file with the Board, on or before November 1, 1997, briefs explaining whether
and why the Board can grant the requested adjusted standard without jeopardizing Illinois’
RCRA delisting authorization.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, hereby certify that
the above order was adopted on the 2nd day of October 1997, by a vote of 7-0.
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board