ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
May
3,
1973
)
SWIFT EDIBLE OIL COMPANY
)
)
)
v.
)
PCB
73-102
)
)
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
)
)
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by Mr.
Dumelle)
Petition for variance was received March
9,
1973 to operate
a pilot project
at Champaign to dry and cool soybeans
in two “farm
type” batch dryers for
a two week period
at
300 bushels per hour,
16 hours per day and five
days per week.
The petitioner alleges
that the beans
are clean and that only soybean hulls
in small quan-
tity would be discharged without public injury.
The Agency estimates that
54
lbs./hr.
of particulate would be
emitted but does not contrast that with whatever
is permitted under
Rule
3-3.111.
Thus the Board has no comparison before
it.
The
Agency further points
out that no
complaints were received from the
public on
a similar pilot run last summer.
It goes on
to recommend
dismissal without prejudice stating that the
drying period would be
from March
26
to April
6 which are dates already past
at the time
of the Agency filing of its recommendation on April
19.
We
do not know on this record whether or not Swift did in fact
dry during
the dates
the Agency said it would.
The variance may now
be moot but we feel that research into grain drying
is badly needed
in Illinois
(see R72-17 and R72-18 proposed regulations authorized
for publication on this date)
and ought to be encouraged.
In addition,
Swift may need
a shield from prosecution if it has already operated
the dryers.
Variance
is granted from Rule
3-3.111 until June
30,
1973 for
a
two weeks period of pilot soybean drying commencing March
26,
1973.
IT
IS
SO ORDERED.
I,
Christan L.
Moffett, Clerk
of the Illinois Pollution Control
Boar2,
hereby certify the above Opinion and Order were adopted on the
.J~
day of May,
1973 by
a vote
of
4~—o
Illinois Pollution
1 Board