ILLINOIS
    POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
    December
    17,
    1987
    ILLINOIS
    ENVIRONMENTAL
    )
    PROTECTION
    AGENCY,
    )
    Complainant,
    v.
    )
    AC 87—6
    JAMES PRESSNALL,
    )
    Respondent.
    WILLIAM SELTZER APPEARED ON BEHALF OF THE COMPLAINANT.
    JAMES
    H. PRESSNALL APPEARED PRO SE.
    SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD
    (by J. Marlin):
    This matter comes before the Board on a Motion
    for
    Reconsideration and Memorandum filed by the Illinois
    Environmental Protection Agency (Agency) on October
    21,
    1987.
    By
    that motion,
    the Agency has requested that the Board reconsider
    its September
    17, 1987 Opinion in accordance with the Agency’s
    Memorandum (herein cited
    as
    “Ag.
    Memo”).
    The Board’s September
    17, 1987 Opinion and Order
    found that the Agency improperly
    issued
    an administrative citation to James Pressnall.
    Accordingly, the Board struck the citation and dismissed the
    matter.
    Specifically,
    the Agency contests
    the Board’s conclusion
    that administrative citations issued pursuant to Section 31.1 of
    the Illinois Environmental Protection Act
    (Act), may only be
    issued against facilities that are permitted as sanitary
    landfills.
    Section 31.1
    is one mechanism by which the
    prohibitions of Section
    21(p) may be enforced.
    On November
    19,
    1987,
    the Board issued
    an Order
    stating that
    it would “reconsider” its September
    17th Opinion
    arid
    Order.
    However, the Board did not address the substantive arguments
    of
    the Agency Memorandum.
    Pressnall was given until December
    1,
    1987 to file a response to the Agency’s motion.
    Pressnall never
    filed such
    a response.
    Today’s Opinion and Order will dispose of
    the Agency’s motion on its merits.
    In
    its Memorandum,
    the Agency presents numerous arguments in
    an attempt
    to support its position.
    First,
    the Agency states that the language
    of Section 21(p)
    of the Act is clear and unambiguous and that as
    a result,
    the
    Board
    is “prohibited
    from employing statutory construction
    analyses.”
    (Ag. Memo.,
    p.
    2).
    The Agency goes on to state:
    84—683

    2
    The
    only
    reason
    stated
    by
    the
    Majority
    for
    broaching the issue of statutory construction
    is
    that
    this
    was
    the
    first
    contested
    ~ministrative
    citation case that went before
    the Board, and
    is, therefore,
    a case of first
    impression.
    This
    is
    not
    legally
    sufficient
    reason
    for
    embarking
    upon
    statutory
    construction analysis.
    The Agency
    urges
    the
    Board
    to
    reexamine
    the
    language
    of
    Section
    21(p), which does not display characteristics
    of
    ambiguity
    or
    lack
    of
    clarity.
    (emphasis
    added).
    (Ag. Memo,
    p.
    3)
    The Board agrees with the Agency that the language of
    Section 21(p)
    is unambiguous and clear.
    However,
    the Board does
    not agree that
    it embarked on “statutory construction analysis”
    in its September 17th Opinion and Order.
    The Board merely came
    to its conclusion after considering Section 21(p)
    in light of
    Sections 21(d)
    and 3.41.
    Section 21(p)
    reads as
    follows:
    No person shall:...
    p)
    Conduct
    a
    sanitary
    landfill
    operation
    which
    is required to have
    a permit under
    subsection
    (d)
    of
    this
    Section,
    in
    a
    manner
    which
    results
    in
    any
    of
    the
    following
    conditions:
    The
    subsection
    then lists twelve specific conditions
    Ill.
    Rev.
    Stat.
    1986 Supp.,
    ch.
    111 ~/2
    ,
    par. 1021(p).
    Because this was
    a case of the first impression,
    the Board
    believed that
    it was necessary to determine the elements of
    Section 21(p)
    violation.
    To that end, the Board looked closely
    at the language of Section 21(p).
    In the September
    17th Opinion,
    the Board
    found:
    A plain reading of
    the language of subsection
    (p)
    suggests
    that
    only
    sanitary
    landfill
    operations
    which
    are
    also
    subject
    to
    subsection
    (d)
    may
    be
    subject
    to subsection
    (p).
    (emphasis added).
    AC 87—6,
    slip.
    op.
    at
    5.
    After reviewing the language of Section
    21(p)
    again, the Board
    finds no reason
    to deviate from its earlier conclusion.
    84—684

    3
    In the previous opinion, the Board
    also concluded that the
    term “‘sanitary landfill operation’
    is plainly read
    to be
    equivalent to the phrase
    ‘operation
    of
    a sanitary landfill’.”
    (emphasis added).
    The Board concluded that this plain
    reading of
    those words was appropriate, since
    the Act provided
    a statutory
    definition
    for “sanitary landfill” but not
    a definition
    for
    “sanitary landfill operation.”
    In other words, the Board
    rejected
    the possibility that “sanitary landfill operation” in
    Section 21(p) meant something different than “an operation of
    a
    sanitary landfill”.
    Here,
    too,
    the Board
    finds no reason change
    its position.
    The Board
    is at
    a loss to determine how the Agency concludes
    that the Board has not utilized a plain reading
    of Section
    21(p).
    However, the Agency contends that the Board’s reading
    of
    Section 21(p) does indeed change “the entire meaning of the
    clear, unambiguous language of
    Section 21(p).”
    (Ag. Memo,
    p.
    3).
    Specifically,
    the Agency asserts:
    Under
    a normal
    understanding
    of the language
    of
    21(p),
    the Board
    had
    to consider only
    the
    factual
    issue
    of
    whether
    or
    not
    the
    Respondent
    was
    conducting
    a
    waste
    disposal
    operation
    as
    alleged
    by
    the Agency.
    If
    the
    Board had agreed with the Agency’s allegation
    that Respondent was disposing
    of
    waste,
    then
    Respondent would have been required to have
    a
    permit pursuant
    to Section
    21(d)
    of
    the Act,
    and
    would
    therefore
    be
    amenable
    to
    administrative citation enforcement.
    Id.
    It
    is clear that the Agency’s “normal understanding” of
    Section 21(p) substitutes
    the words
    “waste disposal operation”
    for the words “sanitary landfill operation”.
    Also, the Agency’s
    “normal understanding” seems
    to presume that if one
    is shown to
    be “disposing of waste”,
    then one
    is “required
    to have a permit
    pursuant to Section 21(d)
    of the Act.”
    However Section 21(d)(l)
    of the Act plainly states:
    No
    personal
    shall
    d.
    Conduct
    any
    waste—storage,
    waste—
    treatment,
    or waste—disposal operation:
    1.
    Without
    a
    permit
    granted
    by
    the
    Agency
    or
    in
    violation
    of
    any
    conditions
    imposed
    by
    such permit,
    including periodic reports and full
    access
    to
    adequate records and
    the
    inspection of facilities,
    as may be
    necessary to assure compliance with
    this
    Act
    and
    with
    regulations
    and
    standards
    adopted
    thereunder;
    84—685

    4
    provided,
    however,
    that
    no
    permit
    shall
    be
    required
    for
    any
    person
    conducting
    a
    waste—storage,
    waste—
    treatment,
    or
    waste—disposal
    operation
    for
    wastes
    generated
    by
    such person’s
    own activities
    which
    are
    stored,
    treated,
    or
    disposed
    within
    the
    site
    where
    such
    wastes
    are generated or,
    2.
    In violation
    of any regulations or
    standards
    adopted
    by
    the
    Board
    under
    this Act.
    This
    subsection
    (d)
    shall
    not
    apply
    to
    hazardous waste.
    (emphasis added).
    Ill.
    Rev.
    Stat.
    1986 Supp.,
    ch.
    111
    1/2
    ,
    par.
    1021.
    The Agency’s “normal understanding” certainly rejects a
    plain reading
    of Section 21(p)
    and 21(d).
    The Agency’s own
    Memorandum provides:
    No
    rule
    of
    construction
    authorizes
    a
    court
    or
    the
    Agency
    to
    decide
    that
    the
    Legislature
    did
    not
    mean
    what
    the
    plain
    language
    imports.
    Hill
    v.
    Butler,
    1982,
    107
    Ill.
    App.
    (3)
    721,
    437
    N.E.
    (2)
    1307.
    (emphasis added).
    (Ag. Memo,
    p.
    2).
    The factors
    in 21(d)
    other than “disposing of waste” render
    the determination
    of whether or not
    a permit
    is required
    somewhat more complex than the Agency implies.
    Consequently,
    the
    Board questions the basis of the Agency’s own interpretation of
    Section 21(p).
    In seeking
    to determine exactly what type facility
    is
    subject
    to the prohibitions of Section 21(p), the Board had
    applied
    the statutory definition of sanitary landfill as set
    forth by Section 3.41.
    Without Section 3.41, there are
    no other
    statutory criteria by which to judge whether
    a facility is a
    sanitary landfill operation.
    Section 3.41 states:
    “Sanitary
    Landfill”
    means
    a
    facilit
    permitted
    by
    the Agency
    for
    the disposal
    0
    waste on land meeting the requirements of the
    Resource Conservation
    and Recovery Act,
    P.L.
    94—580,
    and
    regulations
    thereunder,
    and
    without
    creating
    nuisances
    or
    hazards
    to
    public
    health
    or
    safety,
    by
    confining
    the
    84—686

    5
    refuse
    to
    the
    smallest
    practical
    volume
    and
    covering
    it
    with
    a
    layer
    of
    earth
    at
    the
    conclusion
    of
    each
    day’s
    operation,
    or
    by
    such other methods and intervals as the Board
    may provide by regulation.
    (emphasis added).
    Section 3.41 of the Act,
    Ill.
    Rev.
    Stat.
    1986 Supp.,
    ch.
    1111/2, par.
    1003.41.
    The Agency concludes that the application of the statutory
    definition of “sanitary landfill”
    to Section 21(p) “would make
    the Legislature’s language utterly redundant.”
    (Ag.
    Memo,
    p.
    4).
    Under
    the Board’s
    interpretation,
    a sanitary landfill
    operation by its very definition
    is
    a permitted facility.
    The
    Agency reasons that such an interpretation renders the phrase
    “which
    is required
    to have
    a permit under subsection
    (d) of this
    Section
    21”
    superfluous.
    The Agency asserts that from its
    experience
    it can conclude that “only waste disposal facilities
    required
    to have Agency permits obtain permits.”
    Therefore,
    according
    to the Agency,
    the Board’s interpretation provides “a
    distinction without
    a difference.”
    Id.
    The Agency sums the
    issue up by asserting:
    The
    question
    must
    be
    asked
    ——
    why
    did
    the
    Legislature
    pin
    the applicability of Section
    21(p)
    to
    sites that are
    “required”
    to have
    a
    permit?
    The
    answer,
    of
    course,
    is
    that
    the
    Legislature
    used
    clear,
    unambiguous
    arid
    commonly—understood
    language
    to
    set
    forth
    their
    intent
    and
    expectations
    that
    Section
    21(p)
    apply
    not
    only
    to
    sites
    that
    have
    a
    Permit,
    but
    to
    the
    larger
    universe
    of
    sites
    that are required to have a permit.
    (Ag. Memo,
    p.
    5)
    To the Board,
    it
    is clear and unambiguous that only a person
    conducting
    a sanitary landfill operation may be subject
    to this
    enforcement of Section 21(p)
    through the administrative citation
    process.
    The Agency claims that the phrase “which
    is required
    to
    have
    a permit under subsection
    (d)” precludes the application of
    the statutory definition of “sanitary landfill”.
    The Board
    believes the statutory definition clearly applies in the context
    of Section 21(p).
    If the Board does not utilize the definition
    of “sanitary landfill” as provided by the Act, how is the Board
    to determine what constitutes
    a sanitary landfill operation?
    The
    Agency provides no alternative criteria
    in order
    to make such
    a
    determination.
    The Agency seems
    to suggest that the only
    criterion necessary for a facility to be subject
    to a Section
    21(p)
    enforcement action
    is that the facility would
    be required
    to have
    a permit under subsection
    (d).
    If that is
    so, why did
    the legislature choose notto use the introductory language of
    84—687

    6
    subsection
    (d)
    in subsection
    (p).
    In other words,
    rather than
    drafting the phrase “conduct
    a sanitary landfill operation which
    is required to have
    a permit under subsection
    (d)
    of this
    Section,” the legislature could have merely stated “conduct any
    waste—storage, waste—treatment,
    or waste—disposal operation.”
    The Board
    is reluctant to ignore the plain reading of subsection
    (p)
    and interpret that language
    as merely being equivalent to the
    language found in subsection
    (d).
    The Agency claims that a facility which is not required to
    have
    a permit would
    in actuality never obtain one.
    However,
    the
    Agency does not state that such an occurrence
    is a legal
    impossibility.
    Consequently,
    the Board’s interpretation does not
    necessarily create a redundancy.
    Also, the phrase “which
    is
    required to have a permit under subsection
    (d)” could be
    interpreted as
    a further explanation as
    to why the facility must
    be permitted.
    Subsection
    (d)
    requires that certain facilities
    must be permitted.
    Use
    of the words,
    “sanitary landfill
    operation”
    insures that only facilities permitted pursuant to the
    requirements of subsection
    (d) may be the subject of
    Section
    21(p) enforcement action.
    Next,
    the Agency argues that the Board should have looked to
    the intent and purpose of the Act and reject the use of the
    statutory definition of “sanitary landfill”.
    Essentially, the
    Agency argues:
    Considering
    the objectives
    of
    the Act,
    it
    is
    reasonable
    to
    assert
    that
    administrative
    citations
    apply
    to
    illegal
    dump
    sites
    and
    that
    it
    would
    be contrary
    to
    the objectives
    of
    the
    Act
    to
    exclude
    illegal
    unpermitted
    sites from the 2l(p) process.
    (Ag.
    Memo,
    p.
    7).
    The Agency buttresses this conclusion with the statement that
    “the
    same violation, whether committed by a permitted
    or
    unpermitted site, has the same environmental consequences.”
    (Ag.
    Memo,
    p.
    8).
    The Board agrees with the Agency that actual environmental
    harm is not necessarily premised upon permit status.
    However,
    simply because a certain interpretation of the Act
    is consistent
    with the intent and purpose of the Act, it does not necessarily
    follow that the interpretation is proper
    in all contexts.
    Surely,
    it would be consistent with the overall
    intent and
    purpose of the Act
    to enforce all
    types of violations,
    for
    example violations concerning
    air
    and water, through the
    abbreviated enforcement process of an administrative citation;
    but the Act clearly does not provide for such an application.
    The Board notes that violations covered by the administrative
    citation process are in general easily determined by visual
    84—688

    7
    inspection.
    The larger question of whether
    a site requires
    a
    permit is more properly considered
    in Section
    21(d)
    enforcement
    proceeding.
    sentence
    deleted.
    In order
    to support
    its conclusion that Section 2l(p) may be
    used to enforce against unpermitted facilitites, the Agency
    points to the language of Section 2l(p)(7) which reads:
    “acceptance of waste without necessary permits”.
    However, the
    Agency also provides an example when
    a permitted facility could
    still be
    in violation of Section 21(p)(7); acceptance of “special
    waste”
    requires
    a supplemental “special waste permit”.
    The
    Agency claims that
    if the “Legislature intended 21(p)(7)
    to apply
    to
    ‘special waste’,
    it certainly would have
    so stated.”
    The Board
    is not convinced by the Agency’s argument that the
    legislature did not intend 2l(p)(7) to be enforced against an
    operation which is accepting special waste but not permitted to
    do so.
    The language of 2l(p)(7) certainly does not preclude
    that
    option of enforcement.
    An operation is required
    to have
    a
    supplemental permit before it may legally accept special
    wastes.
    Also,
    there are different types
    of special waste
    supplemental permits which apply to specific categories of
    “special waste.”
    That is, an operation may be permitted to
    accept certain types of special waste but not others.
    This could
    be one rationale why the legislature refrained from using the
    words “special waste”.
    In any event, enforcement of
    a 21(p)(7)
    violation against a permitted facility is not a legal
    impossibility.
    The Board has plainly read the language of the Act and finds
    that the administrative citation process only applies to
    permitted facilities.
    The Agency seems
    to imply that
    if the
    Board adheres to its September
    17th decision,
    there will be no
    available enforcement route to take against unpermitted
    facilities.
    This
    is clearly wrong.
    There are several avenues
    open for enforcement against unpermitted sites.
    Enforcement actions may be brought pursuant to Section 31.
    Depending upon the situation, actions dealing with non—hazardous
    waste could
    be based on the following provisions of the Act.
    Section 21
    No person shall:
    a.
    Cause
    or
    allow
    the
    open
    dumping
    of
    any waste.
    The
    Board notes that the
    Act
    provides
    a
    definition
    of
    open
    dumping.
    Section 3.24
    84—689

    8
    “OPEN
    DUMPING”
    means
    the
    consolidation
    of
    refuse
    from
    one
    or
    more sources at
    a disposal
    site that
    does not
    fulfill
    the requirements of
    a
    sanitary
    landfill.
    (emphasis
    added).
    b.
    Abandon,
    dump,
    or
    deposit
    any
    waste
    upon
    the
    public
    highways
    or
    other
    public property, except
    in
    a sanitary
    landfill
    approved
    by
    the
    Agency
    pursuant
    to
    regulations
    adopted
    by
    the Board.
    (emphasis added).
    c.
    Abandon
    any vehicle
    in
    violation
    of
    the
    “Abandoned
    Vehicles Amendment
    to
    the
    Illinois
    Vehicle
    Code,”
    as
    enacted by the 76th General
    Assembly.
    d.
    Conduct
    any
    waste—storage,
    waste—
    treatment,
    or
    waste—disposal
    operation:
    1.
    Without
    a permit granted
    by the
    Agency
    or
    in
    violation
    of
    any
    conditions
    imposed
    by
    such
    permit,
    including
    periodic
    reports
    and
    full
    access
    to
    adequate
    records
    and
    the
    inspection of facilities,
    as may
    be
    necessary
    to
    assure
    compliance with the Act and with
    regulations
    and
    standards
    adopted
    thereunder;
    provided,
    however, that no permit shall be
    required
    for
    any
    person
    conducting
    a
    waste—storage,
    waste—treatment,
    or
    waste—
    disposal
    operation
    for
    wastes
    generated
    by
    such
    person’s
    own
    activities
    which
    are
    stored,
    treated,
    or disposed within
    the
    site
    where
    such
    wastes
    are
    generated;
    or,
    2.
    In
    violation of
    any
    regulations
    or
    standards
    adopted
    by
    the
    Board under this Act.
    This
    subsection
    (d)
    shall
    not
    apply
    to hazardous waste.
    84—690

    9
    e.
    Dispose,
    treat,
    store
    or
    abandon
    any
    waste,
    or
    transport
    any
    waste
    into
    this
    State
    for
    disposal,
    treatment,
    storage
    or
    abandonment,
    except
    at
    a
    site
    or
    facility
    which
    meets
    the
    requirements
    of
    this
    Act
    and
    of
    regulations
    and
    standards
    thereunder.
    (emphasis added).
    Consequently, the Board
    is not abandoning
    in any way the
    existing environmental enforcement process as provided by the
    Act; the Board is merely adhering strictly to the Act as
    it
    is
    written.
    The Agency also attempts
    to support its position by citing
    Reynolds Metals Co.
    v.
    Illinois Pollution Control Board,
    108 Ill.
    App.
    3d 156,
    438 N.E.2d 1263
    (1982).
    Although Reynolds Metals
    does concern statutory interpretation in the context of the
    intent and purpose of the Act,
    it does not appear
    to be
    controlling concerning
    the outcome here.
    Reynolds Metals dealt
    with the Board’s determination of whether
    a particular facility
    was required to have
    a permit under
    Section 21(d)
    of the Act.
    Unlike Section 21(b),
    Section 21(d) does not contain the words
    “sanitary landfill operation”.
    Therefore,
    in Reynolds Metals,
    the Board was not faced with the same question which
    is at issue
    here.
    On appeal, the First District found that given the great
    potential for serious environmental harm, the Board properly
    found that Reynolds Metals could
    not be exempt from the permit
    requirement of Section 21(d).
    438 N.E.2d at 1267.
    The Agency further contends that the statutory definition of
    “sanitary landfill” should not apply to Section 21(p), due to the
    way the words “sanitary landfill” are used
    in other parts of the
    Act.
    This
    is an interesting position
    to take.
    On one hand,
    the
    Agency claims that the language of Section 21(p)
    is clear and
    unambiguous
    and that the Board need not look further than the
    words of Section 21(p).
    On the other
    hand,
    the Agency is seeking
    to convince the Board that
    it should interpret Section 21(p)
    based upon the way other
    sections of the Act utilize the words
    “sanitary landfill.”
    Specifically,
    the Agency points
    to Section 22.15(b).
    The
    language at issue
    is as
    follows:
    b.
    On
    and
    after
    January
    1,
    1987,
    and
    until
    and
    through
    June
    30,
    1989,
    the
    Agency
    shall
    assess
    and collect
    a
    fee
    in
    the
    amount
    set
    forth
    herein
    from
    the owner
    or operator of each sanitary
    landfill
    permitted
    or
    required
    to
    be
    permitted
    by
    the Agency
    to dispose of
    84—69 1

    10
    solid
    waste
    if
    the
    sanitary
    landfill
    is
    located
    off
    the
    site
    where
    such
    waste
    was
    produced
    and
    if
    such
    sanitary
    landfill
    is
    owned,
    controlled,
    and
    operated
    by
    a
    person
    other
    than
    the
    generator
    of
    such
    waste...(emphasis added).
    A plain reading of this Section clearly indicates two types of
    sanitary landfills:
    those permitted or those required
    to be
    permitted.
    The Board agrees that in this context the strict
    statutory definition of sanitary landfill would not make much
    sense.
    But
    it is highly significant that this meaning is evident
    from a plain reading
    of the language of Section 22.15(b).
    It
    is
    important to note the use of the word “or” which clearly
    indicates two alternative types of facilities.
    Such a clear
    indication is lacking
    in Section 21(p).
    Consequently,
    Section
    21(p)
    is plainly read
    to mean something different.
    The Board
    is
    constrained by existing language of Section 21(p).
    Finally,
    the Agency argues that the utilization of the
    statutory definition of “sanitary landfill” would frustrate
    enforcement actions.
    In particular, the Agency asserts that
    if
    the definition provided by Section 3.41
    is accepted
    in a strict
    way, many permitted facilities would not be subject
    to
    enforcement under Section 21(p)
    or Board regulations.
    The Agency
    cites as an example a permitted landfill which
    fails to apply
    daily cover
    to the site.
    The Agency reasons that since Section
    3.41 describes
    a facility which applies daily cover,
    if
    a
    facility fails to apply such cover,
    it
    is no longer
    a “sanitary
    landfill”.
    The Agency states that the Board’s position would
    require such
    a
    result.
    In support of this conclusion, the Agency
    quotes from
    the Board’s September
    17th Opinion.
    In
    short,
    sanitary
    landfill
    operations
    include
    only
    those
    facilities
    that
    are
    permitted
    by
    the
    Agency
    and
    meet
    the
    other
    requirements
    of
    Section
    3.41.
    Therefore,
    sanitary landfill operations that are subject
    to
    administrative
    citation
    enforcement
    of
    Section
    21(p) must
    in the
    least be permitted
    by
    the
    Agency
    and
    fall
    within
    the
    other
    requirements
    of
    Section
    3.41.
    (emphasis
    added).
    AC 87—6,
    slip.
    op. at
    6.
    On reconsideration, the Board believes that the above
    language could
    be rephrased to better
    reflect the intention of
    the Board.
    The above quotations should be replaced with the
    following:
    84—692

    11
    In
    short,
    as
    strictly
    defined,
    sanitary
    landfill
    operations
    include
    only
    those
    facilities
    that
    are
    permitted
    by
    the
    Agency.
    In order
    to
    be
    initially permitted,
    they
    must
    meet
    the
    other
    requirements
    of
    Section
    3.41.
    Therefore,
    sanitary landfill
    operations that are subject to administrative
    citation enforcement of Section 21(p) must in
    the least be permitted by the Agency.
    Section 39 of the Act provides that the Agency may not issue
    a permit
    to
    a facility
    if the facility’s operation will cause
    violations of the Act or
    Board regulation.
    Section 3.41 states
    that
    a “sanitary landfill”
    is
    “a facility permitted by the Agency
    for the disposal of waste on land meeting the requirements
    of....” The Agency could not properly issue the permit
    if
    a
    facility did not meet the requirements of
    RCRA
    and the other
    items listed
    in the remainder of the definition, including daily
    cover.
    Once the Agency issues the permit,
    the violation of any
    of
    the requirements as prescribed by the remainder
    of Section
    3.41 does not remove the facility from the category “sanitary
    landfill”.
    The permitted facility
    is expected
    to meet those
    requirements.
    Violations of any permit conditions or
    prohibitions of Section 21(p)
    would not nullify “sanitary
    landfill” status nor prevent the enforcement
    of Section 21(p)
    requirements.
    In addition, the Agency cites Illinois Environmental
    Protection Agency v. City of Marion, PCB 81—19,
    41 PCB 281,
    284
    (September
    3,
    1981)
    as support
    for
    its contention that the
    Board’s application
    of the statutory definition of “sanitary
    landfill” to Section 2l(p) will frustrate enforcement efforts.
    In City of Marion, the Board
    found the City of Marion and two
    individual landowners
    to h~veviolated certain provisions of the
    Act and Board regulations.~ Among
    the violated Board regulations
    included those which applied
    to sanitary landfills.
    The landfill
    1
    In City of Marion,
    the Respondents principally argued
    that the
    Agency unreasonably denied
    to the City of Marion
    a permit for the
    Operation of
    a landfill.
    After
    reviewing the evidence,
    the Board
    concluded:
    Given that there is no competent testimony to
    rebut Mr. Mann’s testimony and no meritorious
    defense
    has
    been
    presented,
    the
    Board
    finds
    that Respondents have violated
    all Rules
    and
    Sections
    of
    the
    Act
    cited
    in
    the
    complaint
    during the times alleged.”
    IEPA v. City of Marion, PCB 81—19,
    43 PCB at 283.
    84—693

    12
    in question had never been permitted.
    The Agency reasons that
    if
    a strict Section 3.41 definition of sanitary landfill had been
    applied
    to Board regulations, the Board could not have found
    liability concerning the sanitary landfill regulations.
    The
    Agency reasoning seems
    to be correct
    in that instance, however,
    Section
    3, which states that the statutory meanings of the terms
    in the Act should be adhered
    to unless the context clearly
    requires otherwise, would presumably apply.
    The same
    is not true
    in the instant matter.
    The case presently before the Board concerns the Section
    31.1 (administrative citation) enforcement of Section 2l(p)
    of
    the Act.
    At the time of City of Marion neither of those Sections
    were contained
    in the Act.
    As
    a result,
    issues
    in the City of
    Marion were different than the one considered
    in this matter.
    The two cases are quite distinguishable.
    The Board’s holding
    of September
    17th only addresses a plain
    reading
    of Section 21(p).
    The Board recognizes that the
    legislature, Agency, and Board, itself, may have
    in the past used
    the words “sanitary landfill”
    in
    a context that
    is not consistent
    with the definition of Section 3.41.
    However,
    this fact does not
    weaken the Board’s finding
    that Section 3.41 applies
    to Section
    21(p).
    The Board emphasizes
    its belief that the administrative
    citation process applies
    to permitted facilities,
    sanitary
    landfills.
    The Agency attempt to use Section 31.1 at unpermitted
    sites “required to have
    a permit” will lead
    to major
    difficulties.
    The determination as to whether or not
    a site
    requires
    a permit
    is far more legally complex than whether the
    12
    conditions listed
    in Section 21(p)
    have been violated.
    If the
    Agency believes that
    a small pile of litter,
    trash dumped along
    a
    rural
    roadside,
    a salvage operation,
    or any other potentially
    illegal dumping should have a permit under Section 21(d),
    it
    Should file an appropriate enforcement action.
    In summary, the Agency has not convinced the Board that the
    Board’s Order
    of September 17th
    in this matter was improper.
    To
    the extent consistent with this Opinion,
    the Board readopts the
    rationale set forth
    in the September
    17th Opinion.
    This Opinion and
    the Opinion
    of September
    17,
    1987,
    constitute
    the Board’s findings of fact and conclusions
    of law in
    this matter.
    ORDER
    After reconsideration of this matter,
    the Board hereby
    affirms its Order of September
    17,
    1987.
    IT IS SO ORDERED.
    84—694

    13
    Section 41
    of the Environmental Protection Act,
    Ill. Rev.
    Stat.
    1985 ch. 1lll,~ par.
    1041, provides for appeal
    of final
    Orders of the Board within 35 days.
    The Rules of the Supreme
    Court of Illinois establish filing requirements.
    B.
    Forcade dissented.
    I, Dorothy M. Gunn,
    Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
    Board, hereby certif
    that the above Opinion and Order was
    adopted on the
    /
    day of
    ~
    1987, by a vote
    of
    _____________________
    Dorot y
    M. Gum,
    C er
    Illinois Pollution Control Board
    84—695

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