ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
December 7, 1995
CONSOLIDATED DISTILLED
)
PRODUCTS, INC.,
)
)
Petitioner,
)
V.
)
PCB 96—39
(UST Fund)
OFFICE OF THE STATE FIRE
)
MARSHAL,
)
Respondent.
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by J. Ii):
This matter is before the Board on a petition for review
filed by Consolidated Distilled Products, Inc. (Consolidated) on
August 14, 1995. Consolidated is appealing a July 10, 1995 final
determination of the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM)
concerning Consolidated’s eligibility to access the Underground
Storage Tank Fund. On August 24, 1995 the Board accepted this
matter for hearing.
On October 31, 1995, OSFM filed a general appearance before
the Board. On November 6, 1995, OSFN filed a motion to dismiss
Consolidated’s petition for review for lack of jurisdiction and
insufficiency of the pleadings. OSFM states that it was never
served by Consolidated as required by the Board’s procedural
rules at 35 Ill. Adm. Code 107.123. Citing to Mr. “C” Food &
Liquor v. Office of the State Fire Marshal, PCB 94—387, (January
11, 1995), the OSFM requests the Board to dismiss the action due
to Consolidated’s failure to serve OSFM the petition.’
Additionally, OSFM argues that the petition is insufficient
pursuant to the Board’s procedural rules at 35 Ill. Adm. Code
107. 122.
We deny the OSFM’s motion to dismiss. Section 57.9(c) (2)
states in pertinent part the following:
Within 60 days of receipt of the “Eligibility and
Deductibility Determination” form
...
the Office of the
State Fire Marshal shall issue
...
determination, and
‘In Mr. “C” Food & Lici~uorthe Board found that the petition was
insufficient as filed and that the petition contained no evidence that the
OSFM has been served with notice of the petition’s filing as is required by
Section 107.123. The Board directed petitioner to file an amended petition
curing the petition deficiencies but did not dismiss the petition. Unlike
here, in Mr. “C” Food & Liquor the OSFM did not file a motion to dismiss for
the inadequacies of the petition.
2
such determination or failure to act within the time
prescribed shall be a final decision appealable to the
Board. (415 ILCS 5/57.9(c)(2) (1994).)
There is no requirement for the petitioner to serve the OSFM in
that section of the Act which confers subject matter jurisdiction
upon the Board.
Since the requirement of service appears in the Board
procedural rules and is not a statutory requirement to file the
action before the Board, it is an issue concerning personal
jurisdiction. (See Hutchinson v. Brothman—Sherxnan Theatres, 94
Ill.App3d 1066, 50 Ill.Dec. 422, 419 N.E.2d 530.) The OSFM filed
a general appearance in this matter on October 31, 1995
subjecting itself to the Board’s jurisdiction. (See In re
Marriage of Linda Buchanio v. Charles Buchanio, 262 Ill.App3d
910, 200 Ill.Dec. 641, 635 N.E.2d 980.) Once the OSFM has
subjected itself to the Board’s jurisdiction, it can not argue at
a later time in the proceeding that we lack personal jurisdiction
over it. Additionally, for the reasons stated below an amended
petition will be filed in this matter and since there is no
statutory decision deadline in this matter, the OSFM has not been
prejudiced by not being served with the petition.
We agree with the OSFM that the petition fails to meet the
petition content requirements of 35 Ill. Adm. Code 107.122. We
direct Consolidated to file an amended petition curing such
deficiencies on or before January 5, 1996. Consolidated is also
directed to serve the amended petition on OSFM pursuant to 35
Ill. Adin. Code 107.123. If Consolidated fails to timely file an
amended petition or any other appropriate motion, this matter
will be subject to dismissal.
A copy of the Board’s recently—adopted procedural rules
governing appeals from OSFM decisions is available from the
Clerk’s office. These rules should be consulted by the
petitioner when preparing any amended petition.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Dorothy N. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, he eby certify that the above order was adopted on the
____
day of
________________
,
1995, by a vote of
‘~‘ ~
Gunn, Clerk
llution Control Board
Dorothy
Illinois