ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
March 20, 2003
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,
Complainant,
v.
JOE DECICCO DEMOLITION, INC., an
Illinois corporation,
Respondent.
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PCB 00-110
(Enforcement – Air)
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by N.J. Melas):
On January 9, 2003, the Board issued an interim opinion and order in this proceeding
finding that Joe Decicco Demolition, Inc. (Decicco) violated the Environmental Protection Act
(Act) (415 ILCS 5/9.1(d)(1)(2002)) and several provisions of the National Emissions Standards
for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for asbestos.
1
The interim opinion granted the
complainant’s motion for summary judgment and ordered the parties to proceed to hearing on the
issue of remedy, including any civil penalties and attorney fees. The Board incorporates the
January 9, 2003 interim opinion and order here by reference.
On March 11, 2003, the Office of the Attorney General on behalf of the People of the
State of Illinois (People) filed a motion to waive any hearing on the remedy and close the docket
(Mot.). The People ask for no civil penalty, attorney fees, or other costs incurred by the state in
this action. For the reasons set forth below the Board grants the People’s motion and closes the
docket.
The People allege that Decicco, a small Illinois corporation, ceased operations during
2000, and was involuntarily dissolved by the Illinois Secretary of State on February 1, 2001.
Mot. at 2. The People state that on June 6, 2001, Mr. Joseph Decicco filed a petition under
Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern
District of Illinois, Eastern Division.
Id
. The petition named Mr. Decicco individually, and
doing business as respondent, as debtors. The petition listed the People and the Board as
creditors. On October 9, 2001, the Bankruptcy Court granted Decicco a discharge of
indebtedness pursuant to 11 U.S.C. Section 727.
Id
.
The People argue that at this point any penalty assessed following a hearing would be
uncollectable. The People therefore request, in the interest of administrative economy, that the
Board make its January 9, 2003 interim order a final order and waive further proceedings in this
case. Mot. at 3.
1
The Board found that Decicco violated Sections 61.145(b)(3), 61.145(b)(4)(i), 61.145(b)(4)(iii),
61.145(b)(4)(v), and 61.145(b)(4)(ix) of the asbestos NESHAP regulations.
2
The facts in this proceeding show that Decicco is unable to pay any penalty associated
with the violations the Board found against it in the January 9, 2003, interim opinion and order.
In this circumstance, the Board waives any hearing on the issue of remedy as requested by the
People and closes the docket.
This opinion and order constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and conclusions of law.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Section 41(a) of the Environmental Protection Act provides that final Board orders may
be appealed directly to the Illinois Appellate Court within 35 days after the Board serves the
order. 415 ILCS 5/41(a) (2000);
see also
35 Ill. Adm. Code 101.300(d)(2), 101.906, 102.706.
Illinois Supreme Court Rule 335 establishes filing requirements that apply when the Illinois
Appellate Court, by statute, directly reviews administrative orders. 172 Ill. 2d R. 335. The
Board’s procedural rules provide that motions for the Board to reconsider or modify its final
orders may be filed with the Board within 35 days after the order is received. 35 Ill. Adm. Code
101.520;
see also
35 Ill. Adm. Code 101.902, 102.700, 102.702.
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, certify that the Board
adopted the above opinion and order on March 20, 2003, by a vote of 7-0.
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board