Opinion ID: 1146192
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether the Permit Board's interpretation of Mississippi Air Quality Standard APC-S-4 was unreasonable and contrary to the regulation's plain language.

Text: ¶ 13. Kennard takes issue with the Permit Board's interpretation of Mississippi Air Quality Standard APC-S-4, arguing the Permit Board erroneously focused on a single factor and ignored the factors favorable to the objectors. This led to an unreasonable interpretation of the regulation at odds with its plain and unambiguous language. Therefore, Kennard argues the Permit Board's decision should be reversed and the matter remanded with instructions as to the regulation's proper interpretation. Mississippi Air Quality Standard APC-S-4 ¶ 14. This Court's only precedent addressing state regulation of odor is Mississippi Air & Water Pollution Control Permit Board v. Pets & Such Foods, Inc., 394 So.2d 1353, 1355 (Miss.1981), where this Court reversed the agency's decision because the regulation in effect at that time failed to set an objective standard with which to measure concentrations of odors in the ambient air. The next year, the Legislature addressed the regulation's deficiency by amending Miss.Code Ann. Section 49-17-19 (Rev.2002) to read, [i]n establishing ambient air quality standards for odor, the commission shall adopt recognized objective standards if they exist. In the absence of a recognized objective ambient air quality standard for odor, the commission may adopt such subjective standards as may be appropriate. ¶ 15. Based on the amended statute, the Commission adopted the current version of APC-S-4, which provides: There shall be no odorous substances in the ambient air in concentrations sufficient to adversely and unreasonably: (1) affect human health and well-being; (2) interfere with the use of enjoyment of property; or (3) affect plant or animal life. In determining that concentrations of such substances in the ambient air are adversely and unreasonably affecting human well-being or the use or enjoyment of property of plant or animal life, the factors to be considered by the Commission will include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the number of complaints or petitioners alleging that such a condition exists, the frequency of the occurrence of such substances in the ambient air as confirmed by the Department of Environmental quality staff, and the land use of the affected area. Through this amendment, the Commission provided the necessary objective standards by adding three reasonably measurable parameters. ¶ 16. According to Kennard, the Permit Board improperly focused on the second factor, the frequency of the occurrence of such substances in the ambient air as confirmed by the Department of Environmental quality staff, and since MDEQ staff could not confirm the existence of off-site odors, the Permit Board obviously failed to consider the other factors when issuing a permit with such lax restrictions. Kennard points to passages in the Permit Board's findings allegedly bearing out this erroneous interpretation, such as the following: The factors required to be considered by the Commission limit the applicability of the section in recognition that APC-S-4 is a subjective standard, the application of which by the Commission or Permit Board must rely in chief on the expertise of the agency and the evidence gathered by its staff. Thus, the Commission built into the regulation the requirement that violations of the standard be judged not only by the land use of the area and the number of complaints received from the public, but also by the number of times that MDEQ staff can confirm these occurrences. That part of the standard will almost always work to limit the Commission's and the Permit Board's involvement with odor issues to those cases where MDEQ staff can verify the nature, frequency, and severity of the complaints. ¶ 17. Generally, this Court accords great deference to an agency's interpretation of its own rules and regulations. Molden v. Miss. State Dep't of Health, 730 So.2d 29, 32-33 (Miss.1998). However, where an administrative agency's interpretation is contrary to the unambiguous terms or best reading of a statutory provision, the agency is not entitled to deference. Miss. Gaming Comm'n v. Imperial Palace of Miss., Inc., 751 So.2d 1025, 1029 (Miss.1999). In this case, we find no error in the Permit Board's construction and application of the pertinent regulations. ¶ 18. Kennard's claim that the Permit Board ignored the complaints made by neighbors of the CAFO is not supported by the record. The Permit Board detailed several of the neighbors' complaints in its findings, and it ultimately affirmed the imposition of multiple air quality control requirements. In fact, the Permit Board noted that [i]t is chiefly in response to the complaints of offsite odors registered by the Kennard family and other Cook neighbors that MDEQ suggested several odor control features be included in the Cook facility multimedia permit. . . . Kennard's dissatisfaction with the extent of air quality control measures ordered by the Permit Board does not indicate the Permit Board disregarded complaints by neighbors or suggest the Permit Board elevated MDEQ staff findings to a level of unwarranted importance. ¶ 19. APC-S-4 requires the Permit Board to examine three relatively objective factors in arriving at its permitting decisions, and the regulation also allows for additional considerations. The Permit Board had before it credible, albeit conflicting, evidence, and we are unable to say it did not consider all of this evidence in arriving at its decision. The record does not indicate the Permit Board's interpretation and application of APC-S-4 was contrary to the plain language of the regulation. As such, its interpretation is entitled to the requisite deference by this Court. See Miss. State Tax Comm'n v. Mask, 667 So.2d 1313, 1314 (Miss.1995). [2] Economic burden of air quality control measures ¶ 20. Kennard also argues the Permit Board unreasonably interpreted various regulations to find it [could not] include terms that impose a large economic burden in the permit. Not only does Kennard overstate the conclusion of the Permit Board with respect to the role of economically burdensome control measures, Kennard cannot show that the Permit Board's interpretation of the regulatory scheme was in any way erroneous or unreasonable. ¶ 21. The Mississippi Administrative Procedures Act requires that prior to the adoption of a rule or significant amendment, each agency proposing such rule must consider the economic impact the rule will have on the citizens of our state and the benefits the rule will cause to accrue to those citizens. Miss.Code Ann. Section 25-43-3.105 (Rev.2002). Moreover, Miss.Code Ann. Section 49-17-34(2) (Rev.2002) specifically mandates that [a]ll rules, regulations and standards relating to air quality, water quality or air emissions or water discharge standards promulgated by the commission after April 16, 1993 shall be consistent with and shall not exceed the requirement of federal statutes and federal regulations, standards, criteria and guidance relating to air quality, water quality, or air emission or water discharge standards.[ [3] ] ¶ 22. Finally, the Legislature has given the following unambiguous instructions regarding the adoption of environmental regulations: It is the intent of the Legislature to provide protection for the public health and safety and the environment for the citizens of Mississippi. In providing for such protection, the Legislature recognizes that environmental rules and regulations should have an identifiable scientific basis and should be adopted after consideration of the costs to the regulated community of implementing the rule or regulation. Act of July 1, 1994, ch. 598 § 2(1), 1994 Miss. Laws (codified as amended at Miss. Code Ann. § 49-2-11 (Rev.2002)). ¶ 23. Given this legislative framework, the Permit Board properly read APC-S-4 to require cost effective measures, if possible, to achieve the stated goal of the regulation. Additionally, nowhere in the Permit Board's findings does the agency state that costly control measures will never be ordered. It simply found that in this case, current violations of APC-S-4 did not exist to a degree that would justify the imposition of conditions in Cook's permit that would place a potentially insurmountable economic burden on the facility. Crediting the evidence presented by MDEQ staff and the expert testimony of Dr. Mike Williams, the Permit Board found the installation of a windbreak wall was a reasonable means of meeting state air quality standards, and the more elaborate measures advocated by Kennard's expert, Dr. Ronald Miner, were unnecessary. ¶ 24. Despite Kennard's protestations to the contrary, the Permit Board obviously determined the requirements it placed in Cook's air quality permit would result in the facility's compliance with state air quality standards. Its interpretation of APC-S-4 was neither unreasonable nor contrary to the plain language of the regulation. Therefore, this Court defers to the Permit Board's interpretation.