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December 111, 2003

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Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk Illinois Pollution Control Board

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James R. Thompson Center Suite 111-500

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100 West Randolph Street

Chicago, IL 60601

Regarding Case #PCB 03-188 AND PCB 03-218

Dear Dorothy,

The application to expand the Rochelle Landfill has been the biggest brouhaha that this

small community has ever seen. The reasons for it are as numerous as the lies that were told

about the operations and the operator ofthe landfill.

Those who sought to stop the landfill expansion were an organized group and many ofits

members and followers displayed behavior that was outright malicious.

They used any tactic they deemed necessary to incite the masses to join their cause. They

ran a campaign that included recruiting candidates for office and spreading lies through letters to

the editor and coffee shop gossip. Anyone who dared to question any oftheir actions or

statements was verbally attacked around town and in letters to the editor. Some people in the

community sent letters to the council members telling them that if they voted for the landfill

expansion that they would never be elected to any office ever again.

Their tactics included a huge rumor campaign that included the following lies:

I. Cancer rates are soaring in the community due to the landfill.

2. Rochelle City Council members are being paid under the table to vote this through.

3. The garbage truck drivers are reckless and have and will cause accidents.

4. The children from Creston are suffering from asthma in great numbers due to the landfill.

5.

The landfill operator is allowing illegal dumping oftoxic waste after hours.

6. The landfill will pollute our water supply.

7. Garbage is allowed to blow all over the area.

Lie #6 is their favorite lie. They claim to be very concerned about the water supply, yet they have

never voiced any concern about two properties (one owned by NICOR and the other owned by

BP Amoco) located inside the city limits ofRochelle that are being monitored for actual ground

contamination.

The anti landfill people have been so successful in their campaign to incite the masses that

those who are in favor of a landfill expansion are afraid to speak out. There have only been 4

people in this community who wrote letters to the editor speaking up for the landfill expansion. I

am one of them and I have received many phone calls and many people have stopped me on the

street to say that they are happy I have spoken up but they are too afraid to join me in my efforts.

I am constantly being given dirty looks from the anti landfill people and I have had to deal with

outrageous rumors being made up about me and my family. The rumors are meant to discredit me

and my family.

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The Rochelle city council (of early 2003) disregarded the rules and laws that were to be followed

during the landfill hearings. But I can understand why the last council disregarded them, they must

have been afraid to do the right thing and have to deal with the wrath ofthe anti landfill crowd.

The CCOC became involved in the 2001 Rochelle city elections. They were successful in

electing their hand picked candidates Mr. Ed Kissick and Mr. Wendell “Pal” Colwill. These

candidates were never going to give the landfill expansion hearings a fair trial. They would not

have been supported by the CCOC if they were not sworn to vote NO to the expansion. Both Mr.

Kissick and Mr. Colwill have written letters to the editor showing their bias. I have included

copies of their letters with this letter.

In 2001 Mr. Bubik was appointed to the council to fill the vacancy ofMr. Conour. During

the 2000 landfill expansion hearings Mr. Bubik displayed an anti landfill yard sign in his yard. He

too had shown an anti landfill bias before the 2003 hearings.

I believe that Mayor Bob Ginerich was the only council member in 2003 that listened with

an unbiased and open mind to the landfill hearings. Mr. Hann is a good man but he does not like

to render decisions that may make him unpopular and therefore will usually take the easy way out.

It is my opinion that the landfill expansion should be heard in the courts where it can be

decided by someone who will not be intimidated by a hostile crowd. I do not believe that the

current Rochelle city council has the desire nor the will to render a decision that is based on the

facts or merits ofthe landfill expansion application.

Thank you for your time.

Sii

Q

Deana A. Bingham

400 Cherry Ave.

Rochelle, IL

61068

Phone

815-562-6150

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Landfill operators should.put their

money where their mouths are

Dear Editor;

First of all, I would like to commend my friend, the owner of Rochelle

Disposal, and all of his employees that do such a terrific.job of taking.care

of our garbage. However,.! can’t for the life of me, sit back,. ~‘iththe hair

on the back of my neck standing on end, and not say anything about. this

mega-dump.

. .

The only positive that could ever come from this landfill expansion is

money. If wedon’t really carehow we sell our souls, why don’t we legalize

drugs, prostitution and gambling in Rochel Ic. We currently try to guide our

children by telling them to stay away from drugs because they are bad for

them and will ruin their future.

Well then, would it be right to tell them this dump is okay even thOugh

it will similarly ruin the future of our own children. Is the money. that. will

be generated from this really worth it? How many lives will be lost or

accidents will happen at the intersection of Mulford Rd. and Rt. 38? What

is human life worth, not to mention.. the potential ground and water

contamination? If Rochelle is this hard up to generate money, maybeyou

shouldcallupall the nuclearplants andtell them weare willingtodig ahole

in the middle of Rochelle. Then we can bury the nuclear waste andgenerate

tons of money, along with tons of radiation, all because of the all mighty

dollar. The neat thing is that we won’t have to worry about our kids or

grandkids growing up with deformities because we sold our future and

souls for the money!

We talk about trying to attract new business to Rochelle. Ipersonally

don’t think having the third or fourth largest mega-dump in Illinois. will

help attract any major, good paying, industries to Rochelle. One week we

are talking about a big intermodal, the next we are talking.about a mega-

dump. Perhaps the person hired to attract business to Rochelle should be

paid in the same fashion as a real estate salesperson or car salesman. Ifyou

don’t attract orperform, you make very little, butifyou work very hard and

attract a large amount, then you make a lot of money. Isn’t that how

business is supposed to work? I have a very difficult time believing thatthis

landfill is the best thing that we could come up with. If it is the best thing

that could be put on the table, maybe we should bring a new group of

‘participants to the table.

If this landfill is as safe as the promoters say it is, then maybe they

wouldn’t have a problem putting some money (profit) in an escrow to buy

all the surrounding land if therejust happens to be any leakage. It also may

not be a bad idea for them to have a billion-dollar insurance policy to

guarantee no leakage for the next 100 years. Don’t our kids deserve that

kind ofreassurance? If this dump is that safe, then these termsshouldn’t be

any kind of problem. If anyone else who reads this letter is as upset about

this mega-dump being shoved down their throats as I am, then please take

the time to go out to your garbage, find an old piece of wood, and make a

sign for your front yard that says, “NO TO THE MEGA-DUMP!” If not

this, please take the time to write to your mayor, council members or editor

of this paper.

Proud to be from Rochefle at this time,

Ed Kissick,

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endissue’

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Dear Editor,

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~Iwould like to direct my comments in this letter to the folks at Rochelle Waste

Di~posal.,LLC.~.

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For.the last three.years the people of Rochelle and the surrounding cOmmunities

hive beenup tn arms over the proposed landfill expansion I have lived in Rochelle

alimy life and I don~tbelieve I have ever seen the people so stitred tip over an issue.

Last Thurs4ay night the 1~ochelle,City.Counci1,reject~dyour application. This is~~

the second time the application has been rejectedel would beg of you, I would’plead

with you, not topursuelthis application

any

further. Let this issue end now. One ~

w9uld have Lobe totally deaf and tot~Ilyblind to not hear and se~that the people of

R~chelleand’ the Community’ at larg~do

not

want this,.1andfi1~expansion

in

their.

ba~kyard

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Please do not take the attitude that you are going to.”jan~.the expansiofl down our

th~oatwhether we like it or not” Let it end flow

‘Do what is right Do what is morally right, and put an end to4 this issue now, so

th~tthe people of Rochelle can live at peace again

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