By Susan Stephens
DeKalb, IL – Opponents of the proposed expansion of the DeKalb County landfill get their day in court Monday -- or at least their day in a court-like setting. The Illinois Pollution Control Board hosts a public hearing at the DeKalb County Health Department. Pollution Control Board spokesperson Connie Newman says people can give testimony under oath as time allows. They can also submit their comments in print or at the Board's website, http://www.ipcb.state.il.us/COOL/external
The hearing is in response to a citizen group's appeal of the DeKalb County Board's approval of Waste Management's massive growth plan. Waste Management contends running DeKalb's landfill is not profitable, so the company wants to take in trash from seventeen other counties. The group "Stop The Mega Dump" is appealing the expansion in part because of what it says was an unfair public process.
The hearing gets underway at 9:00 Monday morning and could run into a second day, if enough people plan to speak. It's being held in the DeKalb County Health Department's Multi-Purpose Room, 2550 North Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb.
The hearing officer will report back to the Pollution Control Board, which must rule on the appeal by February 17th.