ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
October 11, 1990
JOSEPH P. COMER and
)
MICHELLE S. COMER d/b/a
)
FLAMINGO LAKE,
)
)
Complainants,
)
PCB 90-145
)
(Enforcement)
v.
)
)
GALLATIN NATIONAL CO.,
)
)
Respondent.
)
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by J. Anderson)
This matter is before the Board on Respondent Gallatin
National Co.'s ("Gallatin") Motion to Dismiss filed August 13,
1990. Complainants filed their response on September 19,
1990. The Respondent's motion argues that the Complaint filed
is duplicitous and frivolous. For reasons given below, the
motion is denied.
The Respondent's motion requests dismissal because the
complaint "fails to state a claim upon which relief can be
granted." The Complaint requests relief for sound emissions
which emanated from construction of Respondent's balefill.
The emissions stopped over one year ago. Gallatin claims that
the Board cannot grant relief for violations which have now
ceased. In this regard, Gallatin is mistaken. These claims
are not barred by any statute of limitations that Gallatin has
shown us.
Gallatin also claims the matter is frivolous because it
requests injunctive relief which is prospective only. Our
review of both the Complaint and Response reveals that the
Complainants ask for finding of violations based upon
Gallatins' prior conduct and also request relief related to
noise emissions expected from future construction activities.
The Board may not grant prospective injunctive relief for
noise violations.
(See Section 24 of the Illinois
Environmental Protection Act, Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch. 111
1/2, par. 1024). It may, however, issue a cease and desist
order if past violations are proven as alleged. Therefore,
the Board does not find the Complaint to be frivolous.
Lastly, Gallatin claims the complaint is duplicitous
because its development permit currently pending discusses
steps it will take to monitor sound emissions levels near
Complainant's property. The Board finds this circumstance
irrelevant to its determination on this matter.
2
For the above reasons, Gallatin's Motion to Dismiss is
denied.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
Control Board, do hereby certify that the above Order was
adopted on the
day of
, 1990, by a
vote of
.
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board