ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
November 20, 1997
SIERRA CLUB and JIM BENSMAN,
Petitioners,
v.
CITY OF WOOD RIVER and NORTON
ENVIRONMENTAL,
Respondents.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
PCB 98-43
(Pollution Control Facility Siting Appeal)
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by R.C. Flemal):
This matter is before the Board on a motion to compel filed by Norton Environmental
on November 6, 1997. On November 17, 1997, Jim Bensman filed a response to the motion
to compel and a motion for sanctions against Norton Environmental. On November 19, 1997
Norton Environmental filed a response to Mr. Bensman’s reply regarding the motion to
compel. Pursuant to the Board’s procedural rules, as the moving party, Norton Environmental
does not have the right to reply to Mr. Bensman’s response except as permitted by the Board
or hearing officer to prevent material prejudice. 35 Ill. Adm. Code 101.241(c). The Board
accordingly will not accept Norton Environmental’s November 19, 1997 reply.
Norton Environmental requests that the Board order Mr. Bensman to timely serve its
counsel with any and all documents filed with the Board. According to Norton
Environmental’s counsel, as of November 6, 1997 it had not yet received Mr. Bensman’s
brief, which was filed with the Board on November 5
, 1997
. Mr. Bensman claims that he sent
everything to the Board and to Norton Environmental’s counsel simultaneously. Mr. Bensman
adds that Norton Environmental’s counsel did not provide him with a zip code plus four
numbers, which he had to obtain via the Internet. Mr. Bensman alleges that Norton
Environmental’s motion to compel is frivolous and requests that the Board sanction Norton
Environmental $1000.
The Board notes that Mr. Bensman’s brief which was filed with the Board on
November 5, 1997 contains a proof of service which attests that Norton Environmental counsel
was served by first class mail on November 3
, 1997
. Norton Environmental’s counsel appears
to have acted hastily in filing its motion to compel, even before the customary four day mail
period had elapsed. However, this action does not rise to the level of sanctionable action. 35
Ill. Adm. Code 101.280(b) (1996). Mr. Bensman must file with all the parties involved in this
matter, which it appears he has done. Mr. Bensman is reminded however, that he has not
been serving the hearing officer with all of his filings with the Board. Mr. Bensman must
include the Board’s hearing officer with his proof of service.
2
The Board hereby denies Norton Environmental’s motion to compel and denies Mr.
Bensman’s motion for sanctions.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, hereby certify that
the above order was adopted on the 20th day of November 1997, by a vote of 7-0.
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board