Notice of Stakeholders Meeting - Proposed Regulation of Radium in Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment Sludge

At its August 10, 2010 meeting the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) objected to and prohibited the filing of the IEMA proposed rulemaking titled "Licensing of Radioactive Material" (32 Ill Adm. Code 330:33 Ill Reg. 12061) because the rulemaking would cause a significant adverse economic impact on the affected public. JCAR requested the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) to conduct an additional meeting to enable the affected public to present data in an attempt to show that the public health and safety can be protected with less economic impact.

The action of JCAR is the result of the significant efforts of many agencies. While this action is significant, efforts to obtain "workable" regulation of radium in treatment plant residuals must continue. While IEMA intends to meet with Stakeholders as requested by JCAR, IEMA has advised the City of Joliet that no meeting date has been established.

The City of Joliet, the Village of Channahon, the City of Geneva and the Dekalb Sanitary District invite all Stakeholders to a discussion of the impacts on each community.

A MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR 10:00am ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2010 AT THE TERRACE ROOM, HOPKINS PARK, 1403 SYCAMORE ROAD (IL 23), DEKALB, IL CONCERNING RADIUM IN TREATMENT PLANT RESIDUALS.

The purpose of this Stakeholders meeting is to develop a consensus concerning the following items:

1 - Is it necessary for radium to be regulated or licensed directly by IEMA or should IEMA and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) jointly regulate radium with reporting included in land application reporting?

2 - What is the maximum increase in radiation above background radiation in the soil that should be allowed based on public health and economic considerations. IEMA proposes a 0.4 pico-curies per gram. Joliet has proposed 1.0 pico-curies per gram.

3 - Is it necessary to regulate the concentration of radium in sludge or is the regulation of the increase in background in the soil adequate?

4 - What are the costs and/or other concerns that should be taken into consideration by IEMA in promulgating a final rule?

Please notify Dennis L.Duffield at dduffield@rogina.com or telephone 815-693-9871 if you plan to attend. Questions may also be directed to 815-693-9871.