Opinion ID: 2092445
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: international

Text: We turn now to consider the appellate court's rulings on International's motions for summary judgment based on its policy's pollution exclusion provision. The appellate court granted summary judgment to International as to both its duty to defend and its duty to indemnify OMC, finding that its CGL policy's pollution exclusion provision barred coverage for OMC in this particular case. The pollution exclusion provision in International's policy is different from the standard pollution exclusion provision discussed above. International's policy provides in pertinent part: It is agreed this policy shall not apply to liability for contamination or pollution of land, water, air or real or personal property or any injuries or damages resulting therefrom caused by an occurrence. It is further agreed that for the purpose of this endorsement `occurrence' means a continuous or repeated exposure to conditions which unexpectedly and unintentionally causes injury to persons or tangible property during the policy period. All damages arising out of such exposure to substantially the same general conditions shall be considered as arising out of one occurrence. (Emphasis added.) Unlike the pollution exclusion provision previously considered above, International's pollution exclusion provision excludes coverage for property damage resulting from continuous or repeated exposure to pollutants, i.e., it excludes coverage for gradual polluting events. Moreover, International's pollution exclusion does not contain an exception for sudden and accidental releases. In the case at bar, both the circuit and appellate courts noted that the underlying complaints alleged that OMC had caused environmental property damage from a continuous, long-term release of PCBs. Therefore, these courts determined that International's pollution exclusion barred coverage for OMC's release of PCBs and granted summary judgment to International on this basis. Before this court, OMC argues that the appellate court erred in granting summary judgment to International because disputed issues of fact exist concerning whether its alleged release of PCBs was continuous or repeated. OMC contends that it submitted counteraffidavits with its response to International's motions which reveal a factual dispute over the nature of the release or releases and the possibility that the release or releases could have occurred abruptly. A motion for summary judgment will be granted if the pleadings, depositions, affidavits, and admissions on file reveal that no genuine issue of material fact exists and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. ( Kolakowski v. Voris (1980), 83 Ill.2d 388, 398, 47 Ill.Dec. 392, 415 N.E.2d 397.) In considering a motion for summary judgment, the court must construe the pleadings, depositions, admissions, and affidavits strictly against the moving party and liberally in favor of the nonmovant. Kolakowski, 83 Ill.2d at 398, 47 Ill.Dec. 392, 415 N.E.2d 397. Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 191, all affidavits in support of and in opposition to a motion for summary judgment must be made upon the personal knowledge of the affiant, must set forth with particularity the facts upon which the claim or defense is made, and must set forth facts admissible in evidence to which the affiant, if called to testify, could competently testify thereto. (134 Ill.2d R. 191(a).) Statements in an affidavit which are based on information and belief or which are unsupported conclusions, opinions, or speculation are insufficient to raise a genuine issue of material fact. (See Anderson Safeway Guard Rail Corp. v. Champaign Asphalt Co. (1971), 131 Ill.App.2d 924, 928, 266 N.E.2d 414; Patterson v. Stern (1967), 88 Ill.App.2d 399, 404, 232 N.E.2d 7.) Moreover, the mere allegation that material factual disputes exist does not create a triable issue of fact. Anderson Corp., 131 Ill. App.2d at 927, 266 N.E.2d 414. In the case sub judice, OMC submitted counteraffidavits from various affiants in opposition to International's motions for summary judgment. In these counteraffidavits, the affiants set forth possible ways in which the release of PCBs into Waukegan Harbor could have been abrupt. For example, Alfred Hanson, OMC's corporate environmental control specialist, states in his counteraffidavit that the release of Pydraul into Waukegan Harbor could have resulted from a mechanical or electrical failure of OMC's pumping system. However, OMC did not submit any documents indicating that any mechanical or electrical failure of the pumping system occurred during the time period in question. Likewise, OMC submitted a counteraffidavit from John Crawford, a chemical engineer in OMC's employ. In his counteraffidavit, Crawford states that the contamination could have resulted from an abrupt and unexpected surge of water through the waste treatment system, breaking some Pydraul away from the oil interceptors and sweeping it into Waukegan Harbor. We find that these counteraffidavits are insufficient to create a material issue of fact. They do not set forth particular facts within the personal knowledge of the affiants to which the affiants could competently testify at trial. These counteraffidavits contain mere speculation concerning various hypothetical scenarios by which OMC's alleged release of PCBs could have occurred abruptly. As such, they are insufficient to raise material issues of fact. Based on the record as a whole, we conclude that OMC's release of PCBs into Waukegan Harbor was either continuous or repeated. Therefore, International's pollution exclusion provision bars coverage for OMC under its policy. We affirm the appellate court's grant of summary judgment to International with respect to both its duty to defend and its duty to indemnify.