ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
November 18, 1993
DECATUR AUTO AUCTION,
)
)
Complainant,
)
V.
)
PCB 93—192
(Enforcement)
)
MACON COUNTY FARM BUREAU,
INC.,
)
An
Illinois Corporation, MACON
)
COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION, and
)
MACON COUNTY HORSEMAN’S
)
ASSOCIATION,
Respondents.
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by M. Nardulli):
On October 14, 1993, Decatur Auto Auction (Decatur Auto)
filed a complaint against Macon County Farm Bureau, Macon County
Fair Association and Macon County Horseman’s Association (Macon)
alleging that Macon emits dust in violation of Section 9 of the
Environmental Protection Act (Act) and 35 Ill. Adm. Code 212.301
of the Board’s regulations.
Section 31(b) of the Act states that when a citizen’s
enforcement complaint is
filed:
Unless the Board determines that such complaint is
duplicitous or frivolous, it shall schedule a hearing.
415 ILCS 5/31(b) (1992)
Also, the Board regulations in part provide:
If a complaint is filed by a person other than the
Agency,
***
the Chairman shall place the matter on the
Board agenda for Board determination whether the
complaint is duplicitous or frivolous. If the Board
rules that the complaint is duplicitous or frivolous,
it shall enter an order setting forth its reasons for
so ruling and shall
notify the parties of its decision.
If the Board rules that the complaint is not
duplicitous or frivolous, this does not preclude the
filing of
motions regarding the insufficiency of the
pleadings.
35 Iii. Adni. Code 103.124
An action before the Board is duplicitous if the matter is
identical or substantially similar to one brought before~the
Board or in another forum. (Fore v. Midstate Kart Club (October
7, 1993). PCB 93-171; Mandel v. KulDaka PCB 92—33 (August 26,
1993); See also, In re Duolicitous or Frivolous Determination
(June 8, 1989), RES 89-2, 100 PCB 53.) Attached to Decatur
Auto’s petition is a document which appears to be a copy of a
motion for a temporary restraining order filed in Circuit Court.
The motion asserts on-going violations of Section 9 of the Act
and 35 Ill. Adm. Code 212.301. Likewise, the petition before the
Board concerns “continuing” discharges in violation of Section 9
of the Act and 35 Ill. Adm. Code 212.301.’ Thus, it appears the
matter before the Circuit Court and the petition before the Board
involve substantially similar events, and concern the same period
of time.
Where a matter before the Board involves substantially
similar events and concerns the same period of time as a
complaint brought before the Circuit Court, the Board may dismiss
the matter before it as duplicitous. (See, Winnetkans Interested
in ~rotectin~ the Environment v. IPCB. 55 Ill. Aop. 3d 475. 370
N.E.2d 1176 (1977~. However, in the instant case there remains
some uncertainty as to the status of the matter before the
Circuit Court and to the particulars of the underlying complaint.
Therefore, the Board directs Decatur Auto to file a document with
the Board addressing whether this matter is duplicitous. In
addition, Macon County Farm Bureau, Macon County Fair Association
and Macon County Horseman’s Association are hereby given leave to
file a document with the Board addressing whether this matter is
duplicitous. Any documents filed in response to this order must
be .received by the Board no later than December 9, 1993.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Section 41 of the Environmental Protection Act, 415 ILCS 5/1
et. ~g. provides for appeal of final orders of the Board ~within
35 days. The Rules of the Supreme Court of Illinois establish
filing requirements.
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, hereby certif hat the above order was adopted .on the
/~~1 day of _________________________, 1993, b a vote of
~
~borothy
M.,4(znn,
Cle±k
Illinois P~llutionControl Board
The Board also notes that Decatur Auto has requested the
Board to “order and direct (respondents)
***
to pay any and all
damages to Complainant.” Under Section 42 of the Act, the Board is
without authority to order one person to pay money damages to
another person. Penalties ordered by the Board are to be paid into
the Environmental Protection Trust Fund..