Village Shares New Landfill Report
Results from the newest tests at the Land and Lakes landfill, conducted by an engineering firm hired by the landfill's owners, indicate no phenols are present.
A summary report of the most recent tests conducted at the Land and Lakes landfill indicates that no phenols were detected on the site.
The study was conducted by Andrews Engineering, which was contracted by Land and Lakes. Results were presented July 13 to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and posted Wednesday on the Village of Buffalo Grove’s website.
The new data was collected after the landfill’s owners requested more time to conduct studies on the site. The landfill, which closed in 1995, recently finished a 15-year monitoring period required by the IEPA. The agency will next determine whether the site requires further monitoring.
If it rules that no additional monitoring is necessary, the site will be eligible for development. Buffalo Grove officials have expressed a desire to transform the 60 acres at 1300 Milwaukee Ave. into a “commercial environment.”
According to the Andrews Engineering report, two temporary monitors were installed on the south side of the landfill on March 2. Test results came from those monitors, as well as the five previously existing ones.
Village President Jeff Braiman said Monday that the contents of the report did not come as a surprise to him.
“The only indication that there ever has been a problem was the Shaw report,” he said, referring to a preliminary study commissioned in 2005 by the village. A subsequent study was never completed. Shaw director Devin Moose said last year that his firm never formed a conclusion or made a recommendation regarding the site.
“In the past two or three years, there has been no indication of toxins or phenols on that site,” Braiman said.
The new 106-page report is attached to this story (see PDF above).
Former trustee Lisa Stone, who brought the Shaw study to light last year and later urged the IEPA to hold its public hearing, said Wednesday that the latest report did not ease her concerns.
"I am not reassured by the Andrews report because my understanding is that they were hired by Land and Lakes, so I am weary of their objectivity. Further, they are the same company that excused the concerning findings last year and recommended closure," she said. "I believe that the IEPA did not accept Andrews' recommendation last year and the IEPA ordered gradient water testing, geology and hydrology tests, contrary to Andrews position. So, we must be skeptical of any conclusions and recommendations Andrews sets forth as they were hired by Land and Lakes and their allegiance is to Land and Lakes."
The data is under review by an IEPA geologist, agency spokeswoman Maggie Carson said last week. She said the IEPA will not comment on the content of the report until that review is complete. No timeline for its completion has been established.
“[The geologist] will look at the process they used to put the wells in and collect the data … make sure that the analysis was done correctly and then she will review the results,” Carson said.
The IEPA will also look at the lab contracted by Land and Lakes to ensure its certification and that quality assurance measures were in place, Carson said.
Braiman said that while the July 13 report didn’t show cause for concern, the outcome of the situation is up to the IEPA.
“What will the IEPA do? I don’t know,” he said.
A decision from the IEPA as to whether post-closure monitoring will continue is scheduled for Oct. 12.
Dr. Michael Glaskin-Clay
8:07 am on Thursday, July 28, 2011
Not surprised.
Art
9:36 am on Thursday, July 28, 2011
Ms. Stone, do you really believe that just because Andrews was hired by L&L, that they would falsify their data? Even if they had found something, L&L would have been obligated to share it.
Mr. Braiman is correct, the outcome is up to the IEPA, so please give it a rest.
Lisa Stone
11:29 am on Friday, July 29, 2011
(Village Board Meeting, YouTube video above - June 21, 2010) Watching this meeting is especially enlightening now, as some Board members insist they didn't see or don't remember the Shaw Review. Buffalo Grove in fact past a resolution ($25K) for Shaw Environmental, then applied for & received Brownfield Grant funds to pay for 50% of the study, though BG never allowed Shaw to complete their work. We suddenly stopped Shaw at just under $12K. Shaw had requested the 5+ years of illegible and/or missing groundwater monitoring data, and also needed soil borings and to add necessary groundwater monitors. We never complied. The Brownfield Grant contract that BG entered into with Lake County, states that the grant money is in "exchange" for cleaning the groundwater....which BG did not do, but instead dropped the study, purged it from Buffalo Grove's records and looked the other way. We indeed accepted Brownfield Grant money, which I publicly questioned Attorney Raysa as to the appropriateness of accepting funds and not fulfilling our end of the deal. He didn't have an answer. The study was commissioned in 2005. Everyone in the video above was on the Board in 2005, with the exception of myself and Bev Sussman. (And Manager Bill Brimm, who unexpectedly, early retired/resigned after I discovered that he altered an email regarding Land & Lakes landfill, which I alerted the Board.) The 2 Retired Trustees that were on the 2005 Board were Brian Rubin & Bruce Kahn.
Lisa Stone
7:43 pm on Saturday, July 30, 2011
From article above - Quote from President Jeff Braiman: “In the past two or three years, there has been no indication of toxins or phenols on that site,” Braiman said.
President Braiman, you should read the IEPA's position before misleading the public. See IEPA record below.
Summer 2010
Written by IEPA's Stephen F. Nightingale, P.E.
Excerpt from Draft Denial Letter to Prairie Recreational Developments, Inc. (Land & Lakes), owned by Lake Forest Mayor, James J. Cowhey.
Re: Land & Lakes
"Phenols has been detected at G118 during 2nd quarter 1995, 2nd quarter 1996, 1st quarter 1993, 3rd quarter 2002, 3rd qurter 2005, 1st quarter 2009, 4th quarter 2009, and 1st quarter 2010. The facility did not address these exceedences in accordance with Condition No. 8 of Attachment A of the permit, which states that an assessment plan and report shall be submitted to the IEPA in the event that a significant change in groundwater quality has occurred or has been confirmed. As these detections of phenols have been more recent, with detections during two consecutive monitoring events (4th quarter 2009 and 1st quarter 2010), assessment monitoring of phenols at well G118 should be conducted."
The Lone Thinker
8:37 am on Monday, August 1, 2011
Lisa Stone, as quoted in the article above: "...I am weary of their objectivity." Now that should be memorialized as the quote of the year! Perhaps it was her "weariness" of objectivity that led to her historic recall from office!
Lisa Stone
1:11 am on Wednesday, October 12, 2011
See the Phenol exceedence chart above, submitted by Kent Environmental Law Professor, Keith Harley, from the Chicago Environmental Law Clinic. The Phenol Exceedence, is evidenced as current as 2009 & 2010, contrary to what "trusted" President Braiman stated in this article. Also note the many missing years of groundwater data. I invite Jeff Braiman to respond to his contradiction and untruth. This is science - hard facts. Also, I'm not sure Jeff, but did you note that Andrew's was hired by Land & Lakes to do their test/report and not a 3rd party firm? Remember when the FOIA emails that you didn't want me to FOIA stated that Land & Lakes wasn't comfortable with Shaw after Shaw discovered their 6 years of missing and/or illegible groundwater monitoring data and asked Buffalo Grove officials to please get it from Land & Lakes? Then we dropped Shaw instead. Then remember the FOIA document that said Land & Lakes would then send the Board an "acceptable" list of Engineers to evaluate their landfill? Unfortunately, I never saw the acceptable list, but perhaps you remember which Engineering Firms were on it. By chance, was Andrews?
Sandy Reeves
9:03 am on Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Looked at the list of accredited firms, Lisa, and Andrews is not on it!!
Lisa Stone
2:33 pm on Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Erica:
Can you post the link to the list of accredited Engineering firms that you refer to above? I can't imagine that Land & Lakes owner, Lake Forest Mayor Jim Cowhey didn't check to see that Andrews was on the list.
Sandy Reeves
2:54 pm on Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Here you go, Lisa. http://www.epa.state.il.us/well-water/list-accredited-labs.html