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Timestamp: 2014-08-31 00:23:56
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Sutter, John - Order, November 5, 1998 - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
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Sutter, John - Order, November 5, 1998
Order, November 5, 1998
In the Matter of Alleged Violations of Article 27, of the
Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) and Title 6 of the Official
New York (6 NYCRR) Part 360, by
DEC Case No. R7-0990-96-06
Pursuant to a Notice of Hearing and Complaint both dated January 7, 1997, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (Department) Region 7 Staff commenced an administrative enforcement proceeding against the Respondent, John Sutter.
Respondent was served with the Notice of Hearing and Complaint on February 14, 1997 by personal service.
Service of process was accomplished in accordance with 6 NYCRR §622.3(a)(3), consistent with CPLR 308, by personal delivery to Respondent.
The time for Respondent to serve an Answer would have expired on March 6, 1997, but was extended by successive extensions until September 10, 1997. Respondent failed to serve an Answer to Department Staff's Complaint within that time, or since.
With respect to such failure to answer, DEC Staff made a Motion for Default Judgment by Notice of Motion dated September 21, 1998, with supporting affidavit, exhibits, and proposed Order.
Respondent is in continuing violation of the provisions of 6 NYCRR §360-1.7(a)(1)(i) by operating a landfill at his property located on Sweet Road, Town of Pompey, Onondaga County, New York (the Facility).
Respondent is in continuing violation of the provisions of 6 NYCRR §360-1.5(a) for unauthorized disposal of solid waste at the Facility.
A portion of the Facility is operated by Respondent for the disposal of construction and demolition debris.
Respondent's violations of the provisions of 6 NYCRR §§360-1.7(a)(1)(i) and 360-1.5(a) have caused the release of more than 10 cubic yards of solid waste into the environment.
Respondent is in violation of the provisions of 6 NYCRR §§360-1.14(e)(2) and 360-10.4(j) by disposing of regulated medical waste and accepting regulated waste for disposal at the Facility mixed with and in contact with other solid waste.
Respondent is in violation of the provisions of 6 NYCRR §360-1.14(e)(2), §360-14.1(c)(1) and §360-14.1(c)(2) by managing unauthorized used oil in waste piles and by disposing of unauthorized used oil directly on the land at the Facility.
Respondent is in violation of the provisions of 6 NYCRR §360-13.1(b) by disposing of more than 1,000 waste tires at the Facility.
Respondent violated the provisions of 6 NYCRR §360-1.14(q) by conducting open burning at the Facility.
Respondent John Sutter is assessed a civil penalty of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for the violations cited above, which shall be due and payable to the Department within sixty (60) days following service of a copy of this Order upon the Respondent.
Respondent John Sutter is further assessed a civil penalty of Thirty-One Thousand Dollars ($31,000.00) for the violations cited above, payment of which is suspended conditioned upon Respondent's compliance with the provisions of this Order. Payment of the Thirty-One Thousand Dollars ($31,000.00) suspended penalty shall become due and payable in the event that Respondent fails to comply with the provisions of this Order.
Respondent John Sutter shall immediately cease and desist all disposal of solid waste and the operation of a solid waste management facility at the Facility.
Respondent John Sutter shall commence and complete proper closure of the Facility pursuant to the requirements of 6 NYCRR §§360-1.14(w) and 360-2.15, or as otherwise acceptable to the Department. Respondent shall also monitor and maintain closure of the Facility. Respondent shall commence closure activities within 90 days following service of a copy of this Order upon Respondent and complete closure activities with 12 months thereafter, or within a time frame deemed acceptable by the Department. Closure, monitoring and maintenance shall be subject to the Department's approval, and representatives of the Department shall be permitted access to the Facility in order to perform such inspections and tests as the Department may deem appropriate to determine Respondent's compliance with this Order and acceptable closure, monitoring and maintenance.
All communications between the Respondent and the Department concerning this Order shall be made to the Regional Director, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Region 7 Headquarters, 615 Erie Boulevard West, Syracuse, New York 13204-2400.
Staff of the Region 7 Office of the Department of Environmental Conservation served a Notice of Motion for Default Judgment upon Respondent, John Sutter, by first class mail, on September 21, 1998.
Subdivision (b)2 (of CPLR 2103) provides that service may be made by mail to the address designated by the party or; if none, to the party's last known address. An affidavit of service of the Notice of Hearing and Complaint attached to the motion papers shows that the Respondent was personally served with the Notice of Hearing and Complaint on February 14, 1997, pursuant to 6 NYCRR §622.3(a)(3) and CPLR 308(1), so that personal jurisdiction was then obtained over the Respondent.
An affidavit of service of the motion papers attached to the motion show that the motion papers were mailed by first class mail to the Respondent on September 21, 1998 to the same address where the Respondent was personally served with the Notice of Hearing and Complaint. This affidavit also recites that this address was both the address designated by the Respondent and Respondent's last known address.
Assistant Regional Attorney William F. Gallagher consented to extend the Respondent's time to answer the Complaint (after Respondent attended a pre-hearing conference) to September 10, 1997. No answer was received on or before that date (or to date) and on that date Respondent was in default.
The motion was mailed to the Respondent on September 21, 1998 and it provided that any opposing papers must be filed with the Chief Administrative Law Judge and served upon Staff Counsel by October 16, 1998. Since no response has been received on or before that date and no extensions of time to respond to the motion have been granted, Respondent is in default on the motion as well.
Respondent "refused" delivery of the motion papers, noting on the envelope in which they were mailed: "Incomplete Appellation - Return to Sender".
Since CPLR 2103(b)(2), authorizing the first class mail service employed here, provides that such service "...shall be complete upon mailing..." Respondents refusal of the delivery of the mailing is unavailing and Respondent has waived not only his right to a hearing but his right to respond to the motion as well.
Failure to answer a complaint constitutes grounds for a default judgment pursuant to 6 NYCRR §622.15. The regulation requires that a motion for a default judgment must contain: (1) proof of service upon the Respondent of the document which commenced the proceeding; (2) proof of the Respondent's failure to appear or to file a timely answer; and (3) a proposed Order. The Staff has submitted proof of the service of the notice of hearing and complaint pursuant to 6 NYCRR §622.3(3). In addition, the staff also affirms that the Respondent failed to file an answer in response to the complaint. In the notice of hearing, Respondent was made aware of the consequences of failure to answer. Staff also included a proposed order with its motion. Staff's motion was properly served on the Respondent and as of October 27, 1998, Respondent has failed to respond to the Staff's motion for a default judgment.
TO: William F. Gallagher, Esq.
3488 Sweet Road, RD #2