Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is moving to stop an Illinois landfill from taking in toxic PCB’s. The governor ordered the state Environmental Protection Agency to rewrite the Clinton Landfill’s permit to block PCB’s.
The action is certain to please those who feared for the safety of the Mahomet Aquifer underneath the Clinton Landfill. But it’s bad news for the village of Summit, which had searched for a place to put PCB’s from an industrial site. Environmental attorney Jeffrey Jeep worked with Summit officials on the issue. He says the Clinton Landfill was the only site for storing PCB’s that was financially viable for the village.
“We have this pile of PCB-contaminated material that continues to threaten the community. The U.S. EPA has determined that it’s an imminent and substantial endangerment to public help. And now we do not have any way of solving this problem,” Jeep said.
Quinn’s office said the governor acted after the DeWitt County board confirmed that Clinton Landfill owner Peoria Disposal Company had said it would not take in PCB’s when it originally sought approval in 2002.
Peoria Disposal has the option of appealing the state EPA’s ruling with the Illinois Pollution Control Board. A spokesperson for Peoria Disposal could not be reached for comment Monday.
