R2014-42 REQUESTING I.E.P.A. TO REQUIRE A LOCAL SITING HEARING FOR CLINTON LANDFILL, INC.

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DEPARTMENT OF WATER MANAGEMENT Memorandum No. 2014-07 May 14, 2014 TO: Mayor Michael T. McElroy and City Council FROM: Ryan P. McCrady, City Manager Keith D. Alexander, Director of Water Management SUBJECT: Mahomet Aquifer Resolutions SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: Council adopt the attached Resolutions in support of protecting the integrity of the Mahomet Aquifer. BACKGROUND: The Mahomet Aquifer is the primary ground water supply for approximately 509,000 Central Illinois citizens. It is also a significant emergency water supply for the City as our DeWitt County emergency wellfield withdraws water from the aquifer. The attached map identifies the aquifer's location. Clinton Landfill, Inc. operates Landfill #3 in DeWitt County, just south of the City of Clinton. The landfill is directly above the Mahomet Aquifer. In 2010 the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency(IEPA) approved allowing a portion of Landfill #3 to accept waste containing high levels of PCB and other highly toxic substances. The City, along with several other Central Illinois communities, formed a coalition to prevent this waste from being accepted at the landfill as there is a long term possibility that the toxic substances may eventually leak from the landfill into the aquifer. The coalition also believes that IEPA's approval was in error as a local siting hearing (required by the State of Illinois prior to IEPA approval or denial) was not properly conducted by the DeWitt County Board. If a new siting hearing is conducted, it is believed that the current DeWitt County Board would not approve the storage of these toxic substances. To further protect the Mahomet Aquifer, several Central Illinois communities, the University of Illinois, concerned citizens and others, has requested that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) designate the Mahomet Aquifer as a Sole Source Aquifer. This designation would allow USEPA to review all future federally funded projects in the Mahomet Aquifer area to ensure that they will not contaminate the aquifer. Therefore, to officially provide IEPA and USEPA with the City Council's desired actions to be taken on these matters, it is recommended that two resolutions be adopted: • A request that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency require the DeWitt County Board to conduct a local siting hearing for Landfill#3 as soon as possible.