1Jean
Roach
837
E.
?
Point Terrace
Peoria, IL 61614
Sincerely,
Pkfruk
RECEIVED
CLERK'S OFFICE
0 5 2008
Polluting_STATE
OF
ILLINOIS
May 3, 2008
Dear Illinois Pollution Control Board,
Control
Board
I am writing in reference to the Illinois EPA's renewal of Peoria Disposal Company's
operating permit effective Jan. I, 2008 (case PCB-08-42). It is puzzling and
disappointing that the Illinois EPA, the agency charged with protecting the air and water
of the citizens has seen fit to grant this company a permit that is LESS restrictive than
their original permit. I would ask you to send this permit back to the IEPA with
instructions to test the water at a minimum of 4 times annually. In addition, the water
should be tested for mercury since mercury is one of the toxic chemicals going into this
site.
During the siting for expansion hearings several expert witnesses testified that there
should be additional water monitoring wells down gradient of the older sections and the
barrel trench. I ask you to please instruct the IEPA to require this in any permit they
grant PDC for this site; it is a critical component of protecting our precious water supply.
In addition, I would ask that you require the IEPA to monitor the air around the
perimeter of the facility as well as in the adjacent neighborhoods. The citizens of Peoria
are entitled to clean air by Federal law, and the fact that it is not monitored is in my
opinion a violation of that law. Why is Peoria Disposal Co. exempt from conforming to
clean air regulations? Any permit issued should have stipulations that insure the air
quality is safe.
Finally, please require the IEPA to set a firm closure date as part of this permit. The
permit should have a closure date of no later than March 2009, and the Waste
Stabilization Plant should be required to close within a set time after the landfill is closed.
As a taxpayer and a citizen I expect the regulatory agency that is charged with protecting
my air and water to do all in its power to make certain this toxic waste dump site is very
carefully and strictly monitored. It is the only one in our country that is located so close
to a population center and that means the IEPA should be extra diligent about strict
monitoring of this potentially dangerous site.
Please work with the citizens of Central Illinois to close this threat to the health and
safety of our community. Thank you.