ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
February 3, 2005
MACH III FARMS, LLC
(Livestock Waste Management Facilities
(Property Identification Number
22-16-200-001)),
Petitioner,
v.
ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY,
Respondent.
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PCB 05-137
(Tax Certification - Water)
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by G.T. Girard):
On January 21, 2005, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Agency)
recommended that the Board certify certain facilities of Mach III Farms, LLC (Mach III Farms)
as “pollution control facilities” for preferential tax treatment under the Property Tax Code (35
ILCS 200/11-5
et seq.
(2002)). The facilities are livestock waste management facilities at Mach
III Farms’ swine feeder and wean-to-finish facilities in Bath, Mason County. The Agency filed
the recommendation under Part 125 of the Board’s procedural rules (35 Ill. Adm. Code 125). In
this order, the Board describes the legal framework for tax certifications, discusses the Agency’s
recommendation, and certifies that Mach III Farms’ facilities are pollution control facilities.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Under the Property Tax Code, “[i]t is the policy of this State that pollution control
facilities should be valued, at 33 1/3% of the fair cash value of their economic productivity to
their owners.” 35 ILCS 200/11-5 (2002);
see also
35 Ill. Adm. Code 125.200(a)(2). “For tax
purposes, pollution control facilities shall be certified as such by the Pollution Control Board and
shall be assessed by the Department [of Revenue].” 35 ILCS 200/11-20 (2002);
see also
35 Ill.
Adm. Code 125.200(a).
Under Section 125.202 of the Board’s procedural rules, a person may submit an
application for tax certification to the Agency. 35 Ill. Adm. Code 125.202. If the Agency
receives a tax certification application, the Agency must file with the Board a recommendation
on the application, unless the applicant withdraws the application. 35 Ill. Adm. Code 125.204(a).
Among other things, the Agency’s filing must recommend that the Board issue or deny tax
certification. 35 Ill. Adm. Code 125.204(a)(4). If the Board finds “that the claimed facility or
relevant portion thereof is a pollution control facility . . ., the Pollution Control Board . . . shall
enter a finding and issue a certificate to that effect.” 35 ILCS 200/11-25 (2002);
see also
35 Ill.
Adm. Code 125.216(a).
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AGENCY RECOMMENDATION
The Agency states that it received a tax certification application from Mach III Farms for
its livestock waste management facilities at Mach III Farms’ swine feeder and wean-to-finish
facilities on April 2, 2004. Agency Recommendation (Agency Rec.) at 1. On January 21, 2005,
the Agency filed a recommendation on the application with the Board. The Agency’s
recommendation identifies the facilities at issue:
Livestock waste management facilities consisting of four concrete manure pits (10
ft. x 112 ft. x 15 inches deep), each with one pull plug, four concrete manure pits
(8 ft. x 112 ft. x 15 inches deep), each with one pull plug, and the slotted concrete
portion of the floor over the manure pits in each of eight swine buildings; one
synthetic lined lagoon (760 ft. x 170 ft. x 12 ft. deep); and approximately 2040 ft.
of 10-inch diameter PVC manure transfer pipe. Agency Rec. at 1.
The Agency’s recommendation also identifies the location of the facilities: Section 22, Tract 20
North, Range 9 West of the Third Principal Meridian, in Mason County.
Id.
at 1.
The Agency recommends that the Board certify that the identified facilities are pollution
control facilities as defined in Section 11-10 of the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/11-10
(2002)) because the primary purpose of the facilities is eliminating, preventing, or reducing
water pollution. Agency Rec. at 2.
TAX CERTIFICATE
The Board finds and certifies that Mach III Farms’ facilities identified in this order are
pollution control facilities under the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/11-10 (2002)). Under
Section 11-25 of the Property Tax Code, the effective date of this certificate is “the date of
application for the certificate or the date of the construction of the facility, which ever is later.”
35 ILCS 200/11-25 (2002);
see also
35 Ill. Adm. Code 125.216(a). Section 125.216(d) of the
Board’s procedural rules states that the Clerk “will provide the applicant and the Agency with a
copy of the Board’s order setting forth
the Board’s findings and certificate, if any
.” 35 Ill. Adm.
Code 125.216(d) (quoting in italics 35 ILCS 200/11-30 (2002)). The Clerk therefore will
provide Mach III Farms and the Agency with a copy of this order.
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) (2002);
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.
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I, Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, certify that the Board
adopted the above order on February 3, 2005, by a vote of 4-0.
Dorothy M. Gunn, Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board
