ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
March 2, 2006
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
Complainant,
v.
WASTE MANAGEMENT OF ILLINOIS,
INC., a Delaware corporation,
Respondent.
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PCB 06-42
(Enforcement - Land)
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by A.S. Moore):
On September 13, 2005, the Office of the Attorney General, on behalf of the People of
the State of Illinois (People), filed a complaint against Waste Management of Illinois, Inc.
(WMI).
See
415 ILCS 5/31.1(c) (2004); 35 Ill. Adm. Code 108.202(c).
The People allege that WMI violated the provisions of its landfill permit, Sections
21(d)(1), 21(f)(1), 21(f)(2), 21(o)(7) of the Environmental Protection Act (Act) (415 ILCS
5/21(d)(1), 21(f)(1), 21(f)(2), 21(o)(7) (2004)), and Sections 703.121(a), 723.111, and
723.120(a) of the Board’s waste disposal regulations (35 Ill. Adm. Code 703.121(a), 723.111,
723.120(a)). The People further allege that WMI violated these provisions by (1) accepting and
disposing of hazardous waste in the form of Styrofoam at the Prairie Hill landfill; (2) accepting
hazardous waste and conducting a hazardous waste disposal operation without a Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit; and (3) accepting and transporting hazardous
waste without a hazardous waste manifest and without first obtaining a United States
Environmental Protection Agency identification number. The People allege that the Styrofoam
contained toxic levels of benzene and that it came from repairing or rehabilitating petroleum
product storage tanks at the distribution terminal of Magellan Pipeline Company, L.P. in Amboy,
Lee County.
1
The complaint concerns the Prairie Hill Recycling and Disposal facility, a
municipal solid waste sanitary landfill operated by WMI and located in Morrison, Whiteside
County.
On January 18, 2006, the People and WMI filed a stipulation and proposed settlement,
accompanied by a request for relief from the hearing requirement of Section 31(c)(1) of the Act
(415 ILCS 5/31(c)(1) (2004)). This filing is authorized by Section 31(c)(2) of the Act (415 ILCS
5/31(c)(2) (2004)).
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.300(a). The Board provided notice of the
stipulation, proposed settlement, and request for relief. The newspaper notice was published in
1
The People filed a separate complaint against Magellan Pipeline Company, L.P. That
complaint alleges that Magellan’s’ handling and disposal of the Styrofoam violated hazardous
waste requirements.
See
People v. Magellan Pipeline Company, L.P., PCB 06-36.
2
the
Whiteside News Sentinel
on January 24, 2006. The Board did not receive any requests for
hearing. The Board grants the parties’ request for relief from the hearing requirement.
See
415
ILCS 5/31(c)(2) (2004); 35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.300(b).
Section 103.302 of the Board’s procedural rules sets forth the required contents of
stipulations and proposed settlements. 35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.302. These requirements include
stipulating to facts on the nature, extent, and causes of the alleged violations and the nature of
WMI’s operations. Section 103.302 also requires that the parties stipulate to facts called for by
Section 33(c) of the Act (415 ILCS 5/33(c) (2004)). The People and WMI have satisfied Section
103.302. WMI neither admits nor denies the alleged violations and agrees to pay a civil penalty
of $20,000. The Board accepts the stipulation and proposed settlement.
This opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and conclusions of law.
ORDER
1. The Board accepts and incorporates by reference the stipulation and proposed
settlement.
2. WMI must pay a civil penalty of $20,000 no later than Monday, April 3, 2006,
which is the first business day after the 30th day after the date of this order. WMI
must pay the civil penalty by certified check or money order, payable to the
Illinois Environmental Protection Trust Fund. The case number, case name, and
WMI’s social security number or federal employer identification number must be
included on the certified check or money order.
3. WMI must send the certified check or money order to:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Fiscal Services Division
1021 North Grand Avenue East
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276
4. Penalties unpaid within the time prescribed will accrue interest under Section
42(g) of the Environmental Protection Act (415 ILCS 5/42(g) (2004)) at the rate
set forth in Section 1003(a) of the Illinois Income Tax Act (35 ILCS 5/1003(a)
(2004)).
5. WMI must cease and desist from the alleged violations.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Section 41(a) of the Environmental Protection Act provides that final Board orders may
be appealed directly to the Illinois Appellate Court within 35 days after the Board serves the
order. 415 ILCS 5/41(a) (2004);
see also
35 Ill. Adm. Code 101.300(d)(2), 101.906, 102.706.
3
Illinois Supreme Court Rule 335 establishes filing requirements that apply when the Illinois
Appellate Court, by statute, directly reviews administrative orders. 172 Ill. 2d R. 335. The
Board’s procedural rules provide that motions for the Board to reconsider or modify its final
orders may be filed with the Board within 35 days after the order is received. 35 Ill. Adm. Code
101.520;
see also
35 Ill. Adm. Code 101.902, 102.700, 102.702.
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, certify that the Board
adopted the above opinion and order on March 2, 2006, by a vote of 4-0.
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board