Illinois EPA grants Provisional Variance to West End Disposal Landfill in Saline County

SPRINGFIELD —The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA)  today granted West End Disposal Landfill in Thompsonville (Saline County) a provisional variance from a state regulation for 45 days so it can accept materials in a new cell, particularly debris from the extensive property damage from the Feb. 29 tornado in nearby Harrisburg.

 Illinois EPA temporarily waived the requirement for financial assurance because “it is currently difficult, if not impossible, for West End to obtain the necessary financial assurance since business operations of its financial institution have been interrupted by the aforementioned severe weather.”

Once cleanup efforts begin, there will be a need for adequate disposal capacity at nearby landfills and West End is the nearest permitted landfill to Harrisburg and its current operational capacity is limited.

The Illinois EPA found that West End’s application for a provisional variance to allow it to use the new cell satisfied requirements under Illinois law and includes a definite compliance program, evaluates all reasonable alternatives for compliance, and demonstrated that any adverse impacts will be minimal.

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