ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
November 7, 2002
UNION OIL COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA
d/b/a Unocal, a corporation,
Complainant,
v.
BARGEWAY OIL COMPANY, INC.;
JOSEPH KELLOGG; GERTRUDE
KELLOGG; DUPAGE ENTERPRISES, INC.
d/b/a DUNN RENT-A-CAR; JAN P.
SKLADANY; and CARL J. SKLADANY,
inclusive,
Respondents.
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PCB 98-169
(Citizens Enforcement - Land )
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by C.A. Manning):
On August 26, 2002, Union Oil Company of California (Unocal) filed a motion for leave
to file an amended complaint and an amended complaint in this matter. The hearing officer
required Unocal to file a corrected amended complaint that included the required notice to
respondents regarding the consequences of failing to answer the complaint.
On September 30, 2002, Unocal filed an amended complaint.
See
415 ILCS 5/31(d)
(2000),
amended by
P.A. 92-0574, eff. June 26, 2002; 35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.204. The amended
complaint seeks to accomplish two purposes. First, the amended complaint seeks leave to add
DuPage Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Dunn Rent-A-Car, Jan P. Skladany, and Carl J. Skladany
(DuPage Enterprises). Second, the amended complaint seeks to dismiss Robert F. Atkins,
Bargeway Systems, Inc. and Robert Nielsen, with whom Unocal has settled its claims.
Unocal alleges that DuPage Enterprises violated Sections 12(a) and 12(d) of the Act (415
ILCS 5/12(a), (d) (2000),
amended by
P.A. 92-0574, eff. June 26, 2002). Unocal further alleges
that DuPage Enterprises violated these provisions by owning or operating a gasoline service
station at 600 E. North Avenue in Glendale Heights, Dupage County, where improper handling
of solid waste, including petroleum products and other chemicals, contributed to contamination.
Unocal seeks reimbursement of remedial costs pursuant to Section 22.2 of the Act (415 ILCS
5/22.2,
amended by
P.A. 92-0574, eff. June 26, 2002).
Although the Board has accepted these allegations for hearing with respect to respondents
Bargeway Oil Company, Joseph Kellogg, and Gertrude Kellogg, the Board must determine
whether the complaint is duplicative or frivolous with respect to the newly added DuPage
Enterprises.
See
Section 31(d) of the Environmental Protection Act (415 ILCS 5/31(d) (2000),
amended by
P.A. 92-0574, eff. June 26, 2002);
see also
35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.212(a). A
2
complaint is duplicative if it is “identical or substantially similar to one brought before the Board
or another forum.” 35 Ill. Adm. Code 101.202. A complaint is frivolous if it requests “relief that
the Board does not have the authority to grant” or “fails to state a cause of action upon which the
Board can grant relief.”
Id.
Within 30 days after being served with a complaint, a respondent
may file a motion alleging that the complaint is duplicative or frivolous. 35 Ill. Adm. Code
103.212(b). DuPage Enterprises have filed no motion, and no evidence before the Board
indicates that Unocal’s complaint against DuPage Enterprises is duplicative or frivolous.
Accordingly, the Board amends the caption in this matter to include the new parties.
Further, the Board grants Unocal’s motion to dismiss its complaint against Robert F.
Atkins, Bargeway Systems, Inc. and Robert Nielsen, as reflected in the caption of this order.
Unocal’s motion for leave to file the amended complaint also asks the Board to delete certain
causes of action. This request is unnecessary, as those causes of action were dismissed by the
Board’s order issued on January 7, 1999.
The Board accepts the complaint for hearing.
See
415 ILCS 5/31(d) (2000),
amended by
P.A. 92-0574, eff. June 26, 2002; 35 Ill. Adm. Code 103.212(a). All respondents named in this
amended complaint may file an answer to the amended complaint. A respondent’s failure to file
an answer to a complaint within 60 days after receiving the complaint may have severe
consequences. Generally, if the respondent fails within that timeframe to file an answer
specifically denying, or asserting insufficient knowledge to form a belief of, a material allegation
in the complaint, the Board will consider respondents to have admitted the allegation. 35 Ill.
Adm. Code 103.204(d). The Board directs the hearing officer to proceed expeditiously to
hearing.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, certify that the Board
adopted the above order on November 7, 2002, by a vote of 6-0.
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board