ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
June 21, 1990
PEOPLE OF THE STATE
)
OF ILLINOIS,
)
Complainant,
v.
)
PCB 90—54
(Enforcement)
F
&
F LABORATORIES,
INC.,
an Illinois corporation,
Respondent.
DISSENTING OPINION
(by ~T.Theodore Meyer):
I dissent
from the majority’s
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
proposed
settlement
agreement
states
that
F
&
F
Laboratories’
noncompliance was economically beneficial
in that it avoided the
costs of preparing permit applications and operated one baking line
and incinerator without the delay of applying to and waiting for
the Agency to issue permits, there is not any specific information
on the
amount
of
that
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
the economic benefit, not just a statement that an economic benefit
was realized.
Without more specific information,
it is impossible
to know
if the penalty of $1,000 even comes close to the savings
realized by F & F Laboratories.
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
F & F Laboratories.
Ill.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.
1 12—393
2
For these reasons,
I dissent.
J(/Theodore Heyer
Bó~½rdMember
I,
Dorothy N. Gunn, hereby certify that
t7he
above Dissenting
Opinion was filed on the
~
day of
~&~i
,
1990.
((~1/
/
/
Dorothy M~/Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board
112—394