ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
August 22, 2002
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
Complainant,
v.
THE HIGHLANDS, LLC, and MURPHY
FARMS, INC. (a division of MURPHY
BROWN, LLC and SMITHFIELD FOODS,
INC.),
Respondents.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
PCB 00-104
(Enforcement – Air, Water)
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by C.A. Manning):
On August 20, 2002, the Office of the Attorney General, on behalf of the People of the
State of Illinois (People), filed a two-count amended complaint against The Highlands, LLC,
and Murphy Farms (a division of Murphy Brown, LLC and Smithfield Foods, Inc.)
(respondents).
See
415 ILCS 5/31(c)(1) (2000),
as amended by
P.A. 92-0574, eff. June 26,
2002; 35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.204. The People allege that respondents violated Sections 9(a),
and 12(a), (d), and (f) of the Act (415 ILCS 5/9(a), 12(a), (d), (f) (2000),
as amended by
P.A.
92-0574, eff. June 26, 2002), and 35 Ill. Adm. Code 501.402(c)(3) and 501.405(a). The
People further allege that respondents violated these provisions by causing or allowing the
emission of offensive odors, and causing or allowing the discharge of livestock waste to a
tributary of French creek without a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit so
as to create a water pollution hazard. The complaint concerns respondents’ swine facility
located just south of Williamsfield in Elba Township, Knox County.
The People moved for leave to file the amended complaint on August 20, 2002.
Pursuant to the Board’s procedural rules, complaints must include notice to respondents that
failure to answer the complaint may have severe consequences.
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code
103.204(f). The notice is especially important here, as respondents did not answer the original
complaint. It is not clear from the record in this matter that the amended complaint included
this notice to respondents. Upon proof that respondents were served with this notice, the
hearing officer is directed to rule on the motion.
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.212(c).
IT IS SO ORDERED.
2
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, certify that the
Board adopted the above order on August 22, 2002, by a vote of 7-0.
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board