ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
July 3, 1990
PEOPLE OF THE STATE
)
OF ILLINOIS,
Complainant,
v
)
PCB 90—71
(Enforcement)
LUTHERAN GENERAL HOSPITAL,
)
INC., d/b/a LUTHERAN GENERAL
HOSPITAL-LINCOLN PARE,
an Illinois corporation,
Respondent.
DISSENTING OPINION (by J. Theodore Meyer):
I dissent from the majorityts acceptance of the settlement
stipulation in this case.
Neither the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Agency)
nor the Attorney General have articulated any standards as to what
factors should be considered when negotiating a fine to be imposed
pursuant to a settlement agreement. Additionally, although the
People state that Lutheran General’s noncompliance was economically
beneficial in that it operated its unpermitted equipment without
the delay of applying to and waiting for the Agency to issue
permits, and Lutheran General denies that there was any economic
benefit, there is not any further information on the issue of any
economic benefit. Section 33(c) of the Environmental Protection
Act specifically requires the Board to consider any economic
benefits accrued by noncompliance. I believe that this provision
contemplates a consideration of the amount of any economic benefit.
Without more specific information, it is impossible to know if the
penalty of $5,000 even comes close to any savings realized by
Lutheran.
Finally, I am frustrated that, although this case was brought
in the name of the people of the State of Illinois, there is no
recognition that costs and fees could have been assessed against
Lutheran. Il1.Rev.Stat.1989, ch. 111 1/2, par. 1042(f). I am
pleased that the Attorney General is beginning to bring enforcement
cases in the name of the People, but I believe that settlement
agreements in such cases should, at a minimum, recognize that the
Board could award costs and reasonable fees.
I 13—(~7
2
For these reasons, I dissent.
J. Theodore ~eyer
Board Member
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, hereby certify that the above Dissenting Opinion was filed
on the
~ t~
day of
____________—,
1990.
//
/
Dorothy M. tunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board
113-68