ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
October
5,
1995
PEOPLE
OF
THE
STATE
OF
ILLINOIS,
)
Complainant,
v.
)
FCB 95—163
(Enforcement-Air, Water &
RCPA)
CLARK
REFINING & MARKETING,
INC.
Respondent.
ORDER OF THE BOARD
(by E.
Dunham):
This matter comes before the Board on a “Motion to
Reconsider and Vacate” filed on September 13,
1995 by
complainant.
Complainant requests that the Board reconsider and
vacate its September
7,
1995 order granting in part Clark
Refining & Marketing, Inc’s
(Clark’s) motion to strike and
dismiss portions of the complaint.
Complainant requeste that the
Board deny respondent’s motion as untimely or in the alternative
to allow complainant
14 days from the entry of this order to
respond to the motion to strike.
Clark filed its response to the
motion to reconsider and vacate on September 19,
1995.
Complainant maintains that it did not receive
a copy of
Clark’s motion to strike or dismiss prior to the entry of the
Board’s order.
Without a copy of the motion the complainant
cannot specify all the objections it would have made in response
to the motion.
However, the complainant contends that Clark’s
motion to strike or dismiss was not filed within 14 days of the
filing of the complaint as required by 35 Iii. Adm. Code
103. 140(a).
Complainant argues that since the motion was
untimely it must be denied.
Complainant states that it would
likely prevail on aspects of Clark’s motion if given an
opportunity to respond to the motion.
In addition,
complainant
notes
that
it
could rectify the alleged 31(d)
notice deficiencies
by sending out additional notices and then amending the complaint
but believes that this would be an inappropriate expenditure of
complainant’s and respondent’s resources.
Clark states that an attorney’s certificate of service was
attached to its motion to strike showing service by first class
mail on the complainant.
Clark further maintains that the
complainant should have been aware of the pending motion when it
appeared on the Board’s agendas for the August 24 and September
7,
1995
Board
meetings.
Clark
coiitends
that
the filing
of
its
motion to strike was
not
untimely
but
was
properly
filed
in
accordance with
35 Ill.
Adin.
Code 101.243.
Clark disputes
complainant’s claim that correction of the alleged deficiencies
through the filing of new notices would be
a waste of resources.
In
fact,
Clark maintains that proper notice and the opportunity
to meet with the Agency could possibly avert future litigation.
Clark further maintains that complainant’s request for an
additional 14 days from the date of this order to respond to the
motion to strike is inconsistent with the Board’s procedural
rules and would result in unreasonable delay of the proceedings.
The Board denies complainant’s motion to vacate its order of
September
7,
1995 order since Clark’s motion was timely filed.
However, the Board will allow the complainant additional time to
respond to Clark’s motion
to dismiss
or strike based
on
complainant’s assertion that it did not receive a copy of the
motion and was therefore unable to respond to the motion.
While
Clark contends that complainant could have learned of the pending
motion through the Board’s agenda,
such notice cannot replace
receipt of the motion.
Complainant would be unable to respond to
Clark’s motion to strike and dismiss if it did not receive the
motion.
The Board finds complainant’s request for an additional 14
days from the date
of
this order to respond unreasonab1e~.The
Board’s procedural rules allow only
7 days for the filing of
response to a motion.
(35 Ill.
Adm. Code 103.140.)
Upon receipt
of the Board’s order, complainant could have received a copy of
the motion either from the Board or the respondent the same day
via fax or within a few days through the postal system.
In
addition, the Board agrees with respondent that the issues were
clearly presented in the Board’s order and are not complex
issues.
The Board will allow complainant until October 12, 1995 to
file its response to Clark’s motion to strike and dismiss.
After
reviewing complainant’s response, the Board will determine if it
is necessary to modify its September 7,
1995 order.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Dorothy N.
Gunn,
Cleric or
tile Illinois Pollution Control
Board, hereby certify that ~,heabove order was adopted on the
___________day
of
~
,
1995,
by a vote of
7-a.
Dorothy M./~unn,Clerk
Illinois
~,p5llution
Control
Board