Illinois EPA refers Morgan County swine facility to Attorney General for enforcement

SPRINGFIELD  - Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Doug Scott has asked the Illinois Attorney General's Office  to proceed with enforcement action against the owner of a swine finishing  operation in Morgan County in the Murrayville vicinity, for water pollution resulting in the death of fish and other aquatic life in a pond owned by a neighbor.

 

An investigation by Illinois EPA on July 31 of a complaint from the Morgan County Sheriff's Department involving a swine confinement operation of approximately 600 animals owned by Don Irlam concluded that a minimum of 31,000 gallons of swine manure had been released onto the ground at the site over the previous 45 days and a creek and a pond on the property of Steve Suttles ("Suttles' Pond) were black and smelled of swine manure. Dead fish were found lining the pond and water samples were collected. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources also investigated the pond and determined that it is a total loss with regard to aquatic life. A subsequent inspection by Illinois EPA on August 4 found manure on the ground behind the swine confinement buildings and within the creek channel tributary to Suttles' Pond.   In addition, residents in the area obtain drinking water from private wells that potentially could be impacted and Illinois EPA is continuing to investigate this threat in coordination with the Morgan County Health Department.

 

Illinois EPA recommended to the Attorney General's Office that is seek a preliminary injunction compelling Don Irlam to contain and remove stockpiles of livestock waste and properly land apply waste and investigate alternatives  for removal of livestock waste from Suttles' Pond and provide a  schedule for livestock waste removal on the basis that  "keeping additional swine manure out of Suttles' Pond would help prevent higher levels of contamination from reaching the pond and therefore mitigate impacts to Henry Creek downstream of Suttles' Pond."