ILLINOIS. POLLUTION CONTROL
BOARD
February 3, 1994
VALERIE JOHNSON, MICHAEL BRENSTON,
)
CHERYL JOHNSON, PEOPLE FOR
)
COMMUNITY RECOVERY, INC.,
)
)
Petitioners,
)
PCB 93-247
(Enforcement)
v.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS &
)
DISASTER SERVICES, CHICAGO FIRE
)
DEPARTMENT, AND CITY OF CHICAGO,
)
A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION.
)
Respondents.
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by M. McFawn):
On December 2, 1993, petitioners filed this petition for
hearing before the Board. Petitioners seek to compel respondents
to respond to their request for information, which information
petitioners alleged should have been made available to them by
respondents pursuant to the Emergency Planning and Community
Rights To Know Act, 42 U.S.C. 11001
—
11050 (“EPCRTKA”), most
specifically Section 311, 312, 313 and 324 of EPCRTKA (42 U.S.C.
SS11021, 11022, 11023, and 11044)
.
In seeking a hearing before
the Board, petitioners cited Sections 25b-1(a) (2) and (b)
2(a)(5),(citations corrected), and 5(d) of the Illinois
Environmental Protection Act (415 ILCS 5/1 et seq.) (“Act”).
On December 20, 1993, two of the three named respondents,
the City of Chicago and the Chicago Fire Department
(“Respondents”), moved to dismiss the petition for lack of
subject matter jurisdiction. On December 28, 1993, petitioners
filed their response to that motion, and respondents filed their
reply on January 5, 1994.
Petitioners argue that the Board has the authority to hear
this case pursuant to Section 5(e) of the Act (sic), which
provides in pertinent part:
The Board shall have authority to conduct
hearings upon complaints charging violations
of the Act.
.
Emphasis added. 415 ILCA
5/5(d); (correct citation.)
2
In general, petitioners alleges that the Local Emergency
Planning Committee (“LEPC”)’ is in violation of the Act for
failing to provide them with the information required to be filed
under EPCRXTA by seven industrial facilities located in Chicago,
Illinois, i.e.,. the Material Safety Data Sheets, Tier I and Tier
II and follow-up written Emergency Notices. Respondents move to
dismiss on the grounds that the Board lacks jurisdiction because
Title VI-B of the Act does not fully incorporate EPCRTKA, and
“does not even mention the LEPC much less require an affirmative
action by LEPC.” (Respondents’ Reply of January 5, 1994.)
The Board agrees with respondents. The federal requirements
of EPCRTKA are not fully incorporated into the Act. Title VI-B
of the Act only addresses toxic chemical reporting, and in that
regard mandates only that the Agency act as the repository for
the Toxic Chemical Reporting forms required pursuant to Section
313 of EPCRTKA and to make those forms available to the public.
The Agency also has additional obligations concerning toxic
chemical information, but the federal requirements that
facilities submit chemical information under Section 311 and 312
of EPCRTKA and the corresponding mandates to federal and local
authorities are not incorporated by reference or otherwise into
the Act. Therefore, the Board lacks jurisdiction to compel these
respondents to provide the information sought by petitioners.
Respondents’ motion is granted. This matter is hereby
dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Section 41 of the Environmental Protection Act (415 ILCS
5/41) provides for the appeal of final Board orders within 35
days of the date of service of this order. The Rules of the
Supreme Court of Illinois establish filing requirements. (See
also 35 Ill. Adin. Code 101.246, Motion for Reconsideration.)
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Boar~ hereby certi that the above order was adopted on the
~3’~
day of
C
,
1994, by a vote of~
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Dorothy M. G,~1nn, Clerk
Illinois PoLlution Control Board
11n this case, the LEPC is the Emergency Preparedness &
Disaster Services, which according to respondents’ Motion is
chaired by the City of Chicago Fire Department, but is autonomous
from the City of Chicago or the Chicago Fire Department.