ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
January 7, 2010
SCATES SERVICE STATION,
Petitioner,
v.
ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY,
Respondent.
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PCB 10-44
(UST Appeal)
ORDER OF THE BOARD (by G.T. Girard):
On December 21, 2009, Scates Service Station (Scates) timely filed a petition asking the
Board to review a November 13, 2009 determination of the Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency (Agency).
See
415 ILCS 5/40(a)(1) (2008)
1
; 35 Ill. Adm. Code 101.300(b), 105.402,
105.404. The petition was timely filed because it was postmarked on or before the filing
deadline. The Agency’s determination concerns Scates’ underground storage tank (UST) site in
Shawneetown, Gallatin County. For the reasons below, the Board accepts Scates’ petition for
hearing.
Under the Environmental Protection Act (Act) (415 ILCS 5 (2008)), the Agency decides
whether to approve proposed cleanup plans and budgets for leaking UST sites, as well as
requests for cleanup cost reimbursement from the State’s UST Fund, which consists of UST fees
and motor fuel taxes. If the Agency disapproves or modifies a submittal, the UST owner or
operator may appeal the decision to the Board.
See
415 ILCS 5/40(a)(1), 57-57.17 (2008); 35 Ill.
Adm. Code 105.Subpart D. In this case, the Agency granted Scates’ request for reimbursement
from the UST Fund for the site as to some costs, but denied it as to other costs. Scates appeals
on the grounds that the Agency determinations is
erroneous, to the extent it denied $9, 9935.28 for costs lacking supporting
documentation and justification. The decision is unjustified since prior to
rendering its final decision, the IEPA did not request additional information or
revise its payment application forms to identify additional information above and
beyond that which was provided in the voluminous submissions of Scates Service
Station’s consultants. Pet at 5.
Scates’ petition meets the content requirements of 35 Ill. Adm. Code 105.408.
1
All citations to the Act will be to the 2008 compiled statutes, unless the provision at issue has
been substantively amended in the 2008 compiled statutes.
2
The Board accepts the petition for hearing. Scates has the burden of proof.
See
35 Ill.
Adm. Code 105.112(a). Hearings will be based exclusively on the record before the Agency at
the time the Agency issued its determination.
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code 105.412. Accordingly,
though the Board hearing affords petitioner the opportunity to challenge the Agency’s reasons
for its decision, information developed after the Agency’s decision typically is not admitted at
hearing or considered by the Board.
See
Alton Packaging Corp. v. PCB, 162 Ill. App. 3d 731,
738, 516 N.E.2d 275, 280 (5th Dist. 1987); Community Landfill Co. & City of Morris v. IEPA,
PCB 01-170 (Dec. 6, 2001),
aff’d sub nom.
Community Landfill Co. & City of Morris v. PCB &
IEPA, 331 Ill. App. 3d 1056, 772 N.E.2d 231 (3rd Dist. 2002).
Hearings will be scheduled and completed in a timely manner, consistent with the
decision deadline (
see
415 ILCS 5/40(a)(2) (2008)), which only Scates may extend by waiver
(
see
35 Ill. Adm. Code 101.308). If the Board fails to take final action by the decision deadline,
Scates may deem its request granted.
See
415 ILCS 5/40(a)(2) (2008). Currently, the decision
deadline is April 20, 2010, which is the 120th day after the date on which the Board received the
petition, December 21, 2009.
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code 105.114. The Board meeting immediately
before the decision deadline is scheduled for April 15, 2010.
Unless the Board or the hearing officer orders otherwise, the Agency must file the entire
record of its determination by January 20, 2010, which is first business day following the 30th
day after the Board received Scates’ petition.
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code 105.410(a). If the Agency
wishes to seek additional time to file the record, it must file a request for extension before the
date on which the record is due to be filed.
See
35 Ill. Adm. Code 105.116. The record must
comply with the content requirements of 35 Ill. Adm. Code 105.410(b).
IT IS SO ORDERED.
I, John Therriault, Assistant Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board, certify that the
Board adopted the above order on January 7, 2010, by a vote of 5-0.
___________________________________
John Therriault, Assistant Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board