Liston Brick Company (Board decision, March 18, 2008)

Plain-English summary

An Administrative Law Judge found Liston Brick Company liable for two violations of 40 C.F.R. part 63, subpart RRR, two violations of Clean Air Act section 114, and assessed a $116,402 civil administrative penalty. On appeal, Liston challenged the finding that its net worth exceeded one million dollars and sought a lower penalty. EPA Region 9 did not oppose reducing the penalty to $107,504.64, and Liston agreed to that amount. The Environmental Appeals Board granted Liston's motion to withdraw the appeal, dismissed the appeal with prejudice, and modified the penalty to $107,504.64, payable within 30 days of receipt of the final order.

Decision snapshot

• Cited authorities: 40 C.F.R. pt. 63, subpart RRR; 42 U.S.C. §§ 7412 and 7414; 40 C.F.R. §§ 22.31(c) and 1.25(e)(1).
• Outcome: The appeal was dismissed with prejudice, and the civil penalty was modified from $116,402 to $107,504.64.
• Key point: The Board entered a reduced penalty after the petitioner withdrew its appeal and EPA agreed to the reduction.

Full text (EPA EAB public release)

             BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL APPEALS BO
         UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
                         WASHINGTON, D.C.
                                                                             |'|ARI s n08

In re:

ListonBrick Co. CAA AppealNo. 07-03

DocketNo. CAA-09-2005-00
II

                                 FINAL ORDER

     On January16,2008,ListonBrick Company("Liston")filed a noticeof appeal from an

Initial Decisionissuedby AdministrativeLaw JudgeBarbaraA. Gunning('ALJ'), alongwith a

motionseekinga thirty-dayextensionof time to file an appellatebrief. "Noticeof Appeal

        Filed With Motion for Extensionof Timeto File Appellant Brief." TheInitial

[Concurrently

DecisionfoundListonliablefor two violationsof 40 C.F.R.part 63, subpartRRR Q.{ational

EmissionStandards
for Hazardous
Air Pollutantsfor Secondary
AluminumProduction)and

section112of the CleanAir Act, 42 U.S.C.g 7412. In addition,the ALJ foundListonliablefor

two violationsof Section114of the CleanAir Act, 42 U.S.C.$ 7414,for failing to complywith

requests
for information.For theseviolationstheALJ assessed penaltyof
a civil administrative

$116,402.By orderdatedJanuary18,2008,theBoardgrantedListon'smotionfor anextension

of time to file its appellatebrief. SeeOrderExtendingTimeto File AppellateBrief (Jan.18,

2008). Liston filed its appellatebrief on February19,2008. SeeRespondent's
Appealof the

Initial Decisionof thePresidingOfficer(Feb.19,2008)("Appeal").

                                         a


   On appeal,ListonarguesthattheALJ erredin concludingthatListon'snetworth

exceeded
onemillion dollars.Appealat 2. Accordingto Liston,the evidencein the recorddoes

not supporthis conclusionand,asa result,Listonarguesthatthepenaltyshouldbe reducedfrom

   1o107,504.64.

$116,402 "Region"),the
Id.at7l. Inresponse,U.S.EPARegiong(the

complainant
in this matter,statesthatit "doesnot oppose[Liston's]prayerfor relief of a penalty

amountof $107,504.64
in orderto expeditiously
resolvethis litigation." Non-Opposition
to

Appealofthe Initial Decisionof thePresidingOfficerat 2 (Feb.28, 2008)('Non-Opposition").

TheRegionrequests
thatthis Boardissuea final orderrequiringListonto pay a civil penalty of

$107,504.64.
Id.

   In a response
               filed on March 13,2008,Listonstatesthat"it concurswith the Region's

Non-Opposition"
andthat"[t]he thepartiesarein agreement
regardingthe amountofthe penalty

andseeka final order-" Respondent's
Response
to Region'sNon-Opposition(Mar. 13,2008)

("Response").In conjunctionwith its Response.
Liston hasfiled a motionto withdrawits appeal.

Respondent's
Motion to WithdrawAppeal(Mar. 13,2008)("Motion").

   Underthesecircumstances,
                         Liston'smotionis granted. Liston'sappealbeforethis Board

is herebydismissedwith prejudice.Further,thepenaltyassessed
in the Initial Decisionis

modifiedasfollows. Listonshallpayacivil penaltyin the amountof $107,504.64
within thirty

(30)daysofreceiptofthis FinalOrder. Paymentshallbe madeby forwardinga cashier'sor

certifiedcheckpayableto the Treasurer,
UnitedStatesof America,at the following address:

                                                3

                           U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency
                       '
                           FinesandPenalties
                           CincinnatiFinanceCenter
                           P.O.Box979077
                           St.Louis,MO 63197-9000

A transmittalletter identifying the casenameandthe EPA docketnumbermust accompanythe

check.40C.F.R.g 22.31(c)

        So ordered.r

Dated:
ENVIRONMENTALAPPEALSBOARD

aut,t{, Zto/
Y,t,t

r Thetwo-member paneldecidingthis matteris comprisedof Environmental
AppealsJudges
KathieA. SteinandAnnaL. Wolgast.40 C.F.R.g 1.25(eX1).

                         CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I herebycertifythatcopiesof the foregoingFinal Orderin the matterofListon Brick

Company,CAA AppealNo. 07-03,weresentto the followingpersonsin tlremannerindicated:

By FirstClassMail:
BrendanBrandt
ErikaD. BaileyDrake
Varner & Brandt,LLP
3750UniversityAve, Suite610
Riverside,CA 92501

By PouchMail:
DanielReich(ORC-2)
Officeof RegionalCounsel
U.S.EPARegion9
. 75 HawthorneStreet
SanFrancisco,CA 94105

                                   DavidKim (ORC-2)
                                   Officeof RegionalCounsel
                                   U.S.EPARegion9
                                   75 HawthorneStreet
                                   SanFrancisco,CA 94105

                                   DanielleCarr
                                   RegionalHearingClerk
                                   U.S.EPARegion9
                                   75 HawthorneStreet
                                   SanFrancisco,CA 94105

By Inter-OfficeMail:
tr,;AHI S O0S
GaryJonesi(2241A)
Officeof Civil Enforcement

Dated: [illegible]