Opinion ID: 2092371
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Illegal Dumping by E & E

Text: The Attorney General next challenges the appellate court's decision to affirm the dismissal of counts VIII and IX. These counts were brought against E & E and Heil, and relate to the disposal of materials from excavation activities at the McCormick Place Annex. Counts VIII and IX allege that as part of its contract with the Authority, E & E was required to dispose of all materials legally. Despite this requirement, the complaint alleges that E & E dumped some materials into the Mallard Lake landfill without preparing the required documentation or paying the appropriate charges to the Du Page County Forest Preserve District. Further, the complaint alleges E & E illegally dumped unsuitable materials in a landfill which Terra Excavating, Inc. leases from Illinois International Port District. Count VIII asserts a claim for unjust enrichment based on the allegedly illegal dumping. The appellate court affirmed the dismissal of this count based on the existence of an express contract between E & E and the Authority. (218 Ill.App.3d at 44, 160 Ill.Dec. 691, 577 N.E.2d 1262.) Although count VIII repeatedly refers to the Authority's contract, on appeal, the Attorney General argues that count VIII seeks restitution on behalf of the Du Page County Forest Preserve District and the Terra Excavating, Inc., landfill. Therefore, he argues count VIII states a cause of action for unjust enrichment regardless of the Authority contract. The Attorney General is correct that a contract between E & E and the Authority does not necessarily preclude an unjust enrichment claim on behalf of the two landfills. We note, however, that the complaint alleges no facts which give the Attorney General standing to assert this claim. The complaint contains no allegations of fact regarding who owns the Mallard Lake landfill. Similarly, although the complaint alleges that the Terra Excavating landfill is leased from the Illinois International Port District, it does not allege that the Port District is a State agency or that the District is responsible for cleaning the site. Without such allegations, the Attorney General has no standing to assert an unjust enrichment claim on behalf of the landfills. Count IX asserts a claim under the Consumer Fraud Act for the alleged illegal dumping. In addition to the facts alleged in count VIII, count IX alleges that E & E concealed, suppressed, or omitted the material facts that it was illegally disposing of excavation materials and that E & E intended that the Authority would believe that E & E was legally disposing of the material. Count IX does not allege any misrepresentation, it merely alleges that E & E did not comply with a contract provision and did not voluntarily disclose this noncompliance. While the complaint alleges that E & E polluted the Terra Excavating landfill and wrongfully deprived the forest preserve district of funds, the complaint does not allege that E & E performed any act intended to induce reliance on the part of the forest preserve district or the Terra Excavating landfill. Moreover, the complaint does not allege that the Authority demanded any assurances from E & E regarding this provision of the contract. Count IX also alleged that E & E was able to underbid its competitors because it did not legally dispose of excavated material. The Attorney General argues that this constitutes unfair competition under the Consumer Fraud Act and, therefore, count IX states a cause of action. Because count IX alleges no facts which support a conclusion that E & E was able to underbid competitors, we reject this argument. We agree with the appellate court that count IX does not allege facts with sufficient specificity to state a cause of action under the Consumer Fraud Act.