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J The McHenry County Improvement Association's recent "position statement,̂ ) and the letter to county board members accompanying it, contain references to'our company and the proposed sanitary landfill site in Seneca Township. We must take exception to much of this "statement"... a) respond with facts so the people of McHeni County can make a balanced judgment "Our Record" \ . . . MCI A says it is "concerned that the site proposed and the operating company are both unsuitable," and that these concerns "cannot be cured by any application which would attempt to use that site for a facility to be run by that company." Although there is no factual basis for MClA's uninformed judgments, it appears that the Association has adopted a policy which accepts allegations as proof of wrongdoing. We believe that this concept is at odds with generally accepted standards of fair play and the rights' of individuals-and corporations-to their day . in court. * lishould be apparent, even to the MCIA, that no company could have succeeded as Waste Management (ias if it ignored the rules and regulations or performed poorly for its customers and the public. Even MCIA cannaHDelieve that we would endanger our record of accomplishment, the substantial investments we have made in equipment, facilities and people, or the livelihood of our employees, by pursuing a policy of improper practices. We haven't, we don't and we won't. Eight-thousand Waste Management employees in the United States and Canada, and an equal number overseas, are working every day to provide a cleaner, safer environment. They are managing society's wastes diligently and ̂ properly, notwithstanding MClA's representations to the contrary. Our local divisions throughout North America serve more than 2.4 million households and more than 210,000 commercial/industrial customers in more than 200 communities, including several in McHenry County. Our more than 60 sanitary landfills in the United States and Canada dispose of thousands of tons of waste every day, and they do it extremely well. Our record in the design, engineering, construc­ tion and operation of sanitary lapidfills is not exceeded by any other company ihmir industry. We are proud of that record, and we stand on it . • v'-' - .• f • i • y* "Site Selection" Extensive geological investigations of five prospective sites in McHenry County proved the Seneca Township site to be clearly superior. The site is underlain with a minimum of 50 feet of clay, exceeding Illinois EPA requirements, and we have made ample provisions for the control of surface water runoff. Further, MClA's reference to lowered property values in the country estate area is pure * speculation. Operations will be screened from view by making use of natural slopes and vegeta­ tion, augmented by man-made barriers, to achieve maximum compatibility with adjacent property. And, although the site is designated as farmland, it & not being used for that purpose and currently is enrolled in the PIK program. "County Control" MClA's concern about the County's supposed inability to control landfill operations is.a "red herring." We have said repeatedly, and state again, that no hazardous wastes will be accepted at the site and that special wastes would be received only with the expressed approval of the County. Further, we have no objection to reasonable controls or to free access to the site for inspection by authorized representatives of the County, in addition to those carried out by trie Illinois EPA. MClA's implication of "illegal dumping" has no basis in fact and is an uncalled-for slur on our company. "County Ownership" Waste Management currently operates sanitary landfills under contract to governmental <1 authorities in Kane and DuPage County, Illinois - and elsewhere throughout the country. Any governmental entity, including the McHenry County Board, must evaluate public or private ownership in terms of its own capabilities and objectives. Our objective isJto meet the waste disposal needs of McHenry County in an environmentally sound manner "Post-Closure Responsibility" MCIA is correct in saying that under current regulations, an operator of a sanitary landfill has responsibility for a site for three years after it closes. But it conveniently ignores common law provisions, under which an operator can be held responsible virtually in perpetuity. * <\ Furthermore, MClA's statement about the status of our liability insurance is totally erroneous. This insurance has been renewed by the same underwriters, and with substantially increased coverage: - We are sensitive to the concerns of all "* McHenry County residents, including the McHenry County Improvement Association. We believe we have stated our case honestly and forthrightly whenever we have been given the opportunity, and we will continue to do so. , • " :7 Our business is based on providing needed services for the protection of public health and the environment. We have fulfilled this responsibility from the inception of the company, and we will do no less in McHenry County. V Waste Management of Illinois, Inc. 3003 Butterfield Road/Oak Brook, IL 60521