ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
October 21,
1993
MONTGOMERY COUNTY,
)
)
Complainant,
)
V.
)
AC 93—45
(Administrative Citation)
RITA HEFLEY
)
)
Respondent.
ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by B. Forcade):
On October
16,
1993, Rita Hefley filed a letter concerning
this administrative citation.
The Board construes this letter as
a request for hearing to appeal the administrative citation.
In
this type of proceeding before the Board, the respondent
(Rita
Hefley) has the burden to establish at a formal hearing, by oral
testimony under oath or by properly submitted written documents,
that the violation did not occur or was the result of
uncontrollable circumstances, under the terms of the
Environmental Protection Act
(Act) (415 ILCS 5/1
~.
~g.
(1992)),
and applicable regulations.
The Board hearing is not an informal informational hearing
at which Montgomery County will explain its actions.
The hearing
is more in the nature of a court proceeding with testimony under
oath and questions of the witnesses.
This Board cannot provide
legal advice or legal assistance to the respondent.
The initial burden at hearing to explain why the violation
should be upheld is
upon the complainant
(Montgomery County).
(415 ILCS 5/31.1(d)(2)
(1992).)
At hearing, the complaint will
provide testimony in support of the alleged violation detailed in
the administrative citation.
For the Board to uphold the
administrative citation, the complainant must show that the
alleged facts represent a violation of the provisions of the Act.
In order for the Board to dismiss the administrative
citation, the respondent
(Rita Hefley) must present facts and
arguments to show that the facts alleged in the administrative
citation are inaccurate or that the allegations do not constitute
a violation of the provisions of the Act or that the violation
resulted from uncontrollable circumstances.
A representation
that compliance has been achieved
(i.e.
removal of litter)
subsequent to the issuance of the administrative citation is not
a defense to a finding of violation.
(415 ILCS 5/33
(1992).)
The
respondent bears the burden of providing information in an
acceptable form to support its position.
To avoid any confusion about what could happen in this case,
the Board wishes to make it clear that if a petition for review
2
is allowed to be filed, Sections 31.1 and 42(b)(4)
of the Act
provide for only two outcomes:
1.
The Board can find that there was no violation of
Section 21(p)
or
(q), or that the violation resulted
from uncontrolled circumstances.
Then, the person
filing the petition pays nothing.
2.
If the Board finds that a violation did occur, and that
there were no uncontrollable circumstances, the person
filing the petition pays the fine plus hearing costs.
Hearing costs usually average from $200.00 to
$1,000.00,
and must be paid in addition to the penalty.
If respondent does not wish to proceed with this matter she
may file a motion to dismiss
(reference Sections 101.241 and
101.242 of the Board’s rules and regulations for filing
procedures.)
If a motion to dismiss is not received by the Board
by December 3,
1993,
this matter will be set for hearing.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Dorothy N. Gunn,
Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board
hereby cert4~ythat the above order was adopted on the
_____
day of
__________________,
1993, by a vote of
~
~
4.,
~
Dorothy M. ,~Ønn,Clerk
Illinois P6jlution Control Board