ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
May 18,
1995
TNT HOLLAND MOTOR EXPRESS,
INC.,
)
)
Petitioner,
)
v.
)
PCB 94—133
(UST Fund)
OFFICE OF THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL,
)
)
Respondent.
OPINION
AND
ORDER OF THE BOARD
(J. Theodore Meyer):
This matter is before the Board on a TNT Holland Motor
Express
(TNT) Motion for Summary Judgment filed March 27,
1995.
Respondent,
Office of the State Fire Marshal
(OSFM),
filed its
Response to Petitioner’s Motion for Summary Judgment on April
10,
1995.
In this matter, TNT contests OSFM’s denial of eligibility,
specifically, OSFM’s ability to reconsider a prior final
determination.
In a letter dated March 15,
1994, OSFM issued a
final determination finding petitioner eligible to seek
reimbursement.
OSFM subsequently sent a second final
determination letter to petitioner dated March 17,
1994 denying
eligibility, stating that no release had been reported.
Each
letter stated that it was a final determination.
Summary judgment is proper only when the pleadings,
affidavits,
admissions and other items
in the record show that
there is no genuine issue of material fact and that the moving
party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.
(Williamson
Adhesives,
Inc.
v.
IEPA,
(August 22,
1991),
PCB 91-112.)
The Board is persuaded that no genuine issue of material
fact exists as to the letters sent to petitioner by OSFM.
OSFM
sent a final determination letter to TNT on March
15,
1994,
and
attempted to reverse that determination two days later.
Unless
statutorily authorized,
an administrative agency may not
reconsider its final determination, even in the face of mistake
or error.
(Reichhold Chemicals,
Inc.
v. Illinois pollution
Control Board,
204 Ill.App.3d 674,
561 N.E.2d 1343
(3rd Dist.
1990).)
In clarifying this statement, the court in Reichhold
pointed out that the Board is statutorily authorized to review
its orders.
Id.
Since appellate case law is uncontroverted regarding the
inability of an administrative agency such as OSFM to review its
own final determination, we are compelled to grant summary
judgment.
However, we do so reluctantly because, based on the
2
record before us,
it appears that TNT would not be eligible to
access the UST fund.
Therefore, the Board hereby grants TNT’s motion for summary
judgment, and closes the docket.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Section 41 of the Environmental Protection Act (415 ILCS
5/41 (1992)) provides for the appeal of final Board orders within
35 days of the date of service of this order.
The Rule os the
Supreme Court of Illinois establish filing requirements.
(See
also 35 Iii. Adm. Code 101.246.
“Notions for Reconsideration”.)
I, Dorothy N. Gunn,
Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board
hereby certify that the above order was adopted on the
_____
day of
__________________,
1995,
by a vote of
~2
Dorothy M./ftunn, Clerk
Illinois 1~llutionControl Board