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Could Rauner declare the Willowbrook plant a “threat to public health” and sue?

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Illinois

* Michael Hawthorne at the Tribune…

A company responsible for some of the nation’s highest cancer risks from toxic air pollution says its sterilization plant in west suburban Willowbrook operates well within the law.

Also vouching for the company is Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, a former private equity executive who still has a financial interest in Sterigenics, a global corporation that uses highly potent ethylene oxide gas in Willowbrook and 16 other cities to fumigate medical instruments, pharmaceutical drugs and food. […]

Another option is buried in the same permit that allows Sterigenics to pollute surrounding neighborhoods. Written in obscure legal language, it gives Rauner — or President Donald Trump’s administration — authority to declare the DuPage County facility a threat to public health and seek a court order to immediately shut it down. […]

The Rauner administration, which has cut back on enforcement of state environmental laws, appears more inclined to work with Sterigenics than take the company to court. Nearly two months before the cancer report was made public, the Illinois EPA quietly gave the Willowbrook facility another permit to voluntarily install new pollution-control equipment, making it more difficult for authorities to pursue legal action against the company unless it can be proven the fix has failed to eliminate health risks from ethylene oxide pollution.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 10:20 am

Comments

So GovJun could sue himself or as Patty wants us to believe the “blind trust” Interestin’

Better yet is to keep the image of this plant poisonin’ neighbors firmly in mind when GovJunk, Trump, Rodney, Roskam, Randy, BossToss tell about loosenin’ those stiflin’regulations.

Comment by Annonin' Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 10:26 am
Not to worry Bruce, this won’t come back to bite you.

Comment by Trapped in the 'burbs Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 10:27 am
The ad writes itself. Cancer - rauner Profit. Cancer - cutting regs and enforcement.

Comment by Langhorne Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 10:39 am
Here’s an idea: Madigan and Cullerton call the GA back into session for a day to vote on Durkin’s bill to close the facility. That would shed plenty of light on Rauner’s financial interest in the company.

Comment by BC Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 10:42 am
This story is a monster, even by Illinois standards. The governor has been running interference and stonewalling for a one scary polluter that he has a financial stake in.

Even his most loyal GOP GA types have been taking on Rauner over this.

Um, Team Pritzker — where’s your spot?

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 10:46 am
Bruce, you might as well start packing for Italy right now.

Comment by DuPage Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 11:12 am
Bruce better hope suburban voters like cancer clusters…

Comment by El Conquistador Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 11:21 am
“seek a court order to immediately shut it down.”
Why on earth would 1.4% shut down his company. That would be getting into his pocketbook. /s

Comment by Huh? Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 11:28 am
===Um, Team Pritzker — where’s your spot?===

Just when it looked like a fatal Legionnaires outbreak was sure to doom his campaign, here comes a cancer spike surrounding a business he’s a part owner of. Oof.

This is what Navy pilots would call a target rich environment. All that needs to be done is to produce a spot with the headlines and excerpts of actual news coverage over some ominous music. No need for a narrator. End with
“Rauner failed, people died” in bold print.

Devastatin’.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 11:29 am
Sorry, 11:29am is me.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 11:30 am
“Bruce Rauner - Bad For Your Health”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 11:32 am
=Even his most loyal GOP GA types have been taking on Rauner over this.
Um, Team Pritzker — where’s your spot?=

Not so fast. We’re in the age of MAGA (make America gag again). A large number of folks our outspoken against clean air and water (pro coal, anti-environmental, anti-conservation, pro war). Trump is rolling back environmental standards, promoting dirty tech, in fact he is proposing lifting restrictions on asbestos. A significant of GOP are with Trump on this and he is “winning”.

Comment by The Fake Dick Mell Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 11:43 am
I suspect we will be hearing about “Rauner’s sterilization plant in Willowbrook” during the upcoming debates.

Comment by Jocko Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 12:04 pm
But I thought Bruce was Mr. Ethics?

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 12:24 pm
“A large number of folks [are] outspoken against clean air and water (pro coal, anti-environmental, anti-conservation, pro war)…”

Only not in their own back yards.

Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 12:52 pm
With so much regulation on the chopping block, with calls from many business and industrial quarters to reduce environmental regulations, given voice by the current anti-environmental regime,this episode provides an alarming example of just how existing regulations are already so inadequately researched, written, monitored and enforced. The calls for cutting regulations are really thinly veiled attempts to preempt the crafting of truly effective regulation.

Comment by vole Monday, Sep 24, 18 @ 1:06 pm