Dorothy M. Gunn

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Clerk ofthe Illinois Pollution Control Board

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James R. Thompson Center, Suite 11-500

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100 West Randolph Street

Chicago IL 60601

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I am writing to you in regards to Case Number 2003-218 where Rochelle Waste Di:spç~~a~~

LLC (RWD) is asking the Pollution Control Board to reverse the Rochelle City Coun~il~s~-~

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decision of last April to deny the landfill expansion application sought by RWD.

My name is Michael Pierce and I live in Rochelle with my wife and three children.. Qur~~

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children are the sixth generation ofPierc&s living in Southeastern Ogle County ~jp~ ~

at the siting hearing last April, and I writing today in support ofthe decision ofthe

Rochelle City Council made last April to deny the siting application for the expansion of

the landfill.

First ofall, my family’s business in Creston as well as the business I manage in Rochelle

both use the services provided by RWD. RWD has always provided us with excellent

service and I do not question the necessity oftheir services. I am however, deeply

concerned about the condition ofthe existing landfill and ofthe necessity ofany landfill

expansion between Creston and Rochelle.

Furthermore, there is some question as to whether the Rochelle City Council acted fairly

and equitably in deciding if the landfill expansion should have been granted. A lawyer

friend ofmine once told me that a decision is fair and equitable when both opposing

parties feel as though they got the bad end of the ruling. Clearly, RWD feels the

Councils decision was incorrect. It is also clear that the citizens ofRochelle support the

Rochelle City Council’s decision; however, they realize that the battle over the landfill

the public doesn’t want will likely continue for years to .come.

Finally, I fully support the effort the Concerned Citizen’s ofOgle County have made in

opposing the last two expansion applications. They are a group of caring individuals

with the wisdom to fight for a future fortheir children and grandchildren in Southeastern

Ogle County. They have enlightened many of us who felt that the expansion was a “done

deal” long before the Rochelle City Council had the opportunity to vote on the criteria

required for a landfill expansion. I am equally proud ofthe decision the four members of

the Rochelle City Council made in voting “no” on four ofthe nine criteria required to

approve the siting application.

A few days after the Rochelle City Council denied the landfill expansion, the City held its

regularly scheduled Council meeting. It turned out to be our former Mayor’s last

meeting. At the conclusion ofthe meeting, I shook the hand ofthe now former Mayor. I

thanked him for listening to my issues and he responded that people like me just cost the

City ofRochelle millions of dollars. And while it may be true that the City will not be

seeing the revenue the landfill expansion would have generated, I sincerely believe that

Rochelle and greater Southeastern Ogle County are in a better position to prosper, as a

whole, than they would have been~with a landfill expansion. This prosperity will not be

measured in dollars or cents, but rather in things like an improved quality oflife and a

cleaner environment. I ask you to uphold the Council’s decision and tO support their

actions oflast April.

Sincerely,