Today Sierra Club and American Bottom Conservancy put the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) on notice that it will not tolerate any more delays on a permit for the Onyx hazardous waste incinerator in Sauget, IL. The incinerator, just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, has a history of explosions and illegal air pollution.

“We intend to file suit against EPA for again failing to protect area residents from dangerous pollutants from the incinerator,” said Verena Owen, Illinois Sierra Club's clean air campaign chair. “USEPA must issue or deny the permit to Onyx and bring the facility into compliance with all regulations. Onyx's free ride is over.”

US EPA, which has oversight over the state's operating permit program, sent the permit back to Illinois EPA in February after the organizations pointed out deficiencies in the operating permit. When IEPA failed to reissue an amended permit by May 2, the responsibility reverted to USEPA,

“This permit is 11 years overdue. By not acting sooner on the permit for this facility, both the state and federal EPA is saying that the health and well-being of the neighbors of the incinerator and its workers don't matter. We demand that the permit be issued now so that Onyx will have to disclose all future violations.” said Kathy Andria, president of American Bottom Conservancy and conservation chair of the Sierra Club Kaskaskia Group.

“This is pure dereliction of duty by the agencies that are supposed to protect the health and welfare of our families and our air and water,” added Jason Warner, Kaskaskia Group chair. “EPA must act now.”