Court Opinion

ID: 9622590
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 06:20:18.655749+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:05:18.904824
License: Public Domain

Chief Justice TOAL.
I respectfully dissent from the majority’s opinion and would reverse the circuit court’s decision affirming in result the decisions of the DHEC board and the ALC.
The Administrative Procedures Act specifically requires an agency’s order in a contested case to “include findings of fact and conclusions of law....” S.C.Code Ann. § 1-23-350 (2005). “The findings of fact of an administrative body must be sufficiently detailed to enable the reviewing court to determine whether the findings are supported by the evidence and whether the law has been properly applied to those findings.” Able Comm’ns, Inc. v. S.C. Pub. Serv. Comm’n, 290 S.C. 409, 411, 351 S.E.2d 151, 152 (1986) (citation omitted). “This Court will not accept an administrative agency’s decision at face value without requiring the agency to explain its reasoning.” Kiawah Prop. Owners Group v. Pub. Serv. Comm’n of S.C., 338 S.C. 92, 96, 525 S.E.2d 863, 865 (1999).
“Where material facts are in dispute, the administrative body must make specific, express findings of fact.” Able Comm’ns, Inc., 290 S.C. at 411, 351 S.E.2d at 152 (citation omitted). “Implicit findings of fact are not sufficient.” Id. “[A] recital of conflicting testimony followed by a general conclusion is patently insufficient to enable a reviewing court to address the issues.” Id. As a result, “[i]t is impossible for *94an appellate court to review the order for error, since the reasons underlying the decision are left to speculation.” Id.; see also Grant v. Grant Textiles, 372 S.C. 196, 641 S.E.2d 869 (2007) (reversing Workers’ Compensation Commission in part because the full commission failed to set forth the underlying facts upon which it relied to support its conclusion); Kiawah Prop. Owners Group, 338 S.C. 92, 525 S.E.2d 863 (finding it impossible for this Court to review public service commission orders that merely recite each party’s general position on the issue and then announce the one it chooses to follow); Porter v. S.C. Pub. Serv. Comm’n, 333 S.C. 12, 507 S.E.2d 328 (1998) (reversing public service commission’s decision on the rate of return on common equity because that decision was not adequately documented in the findings of fact).
In this case, the majority points out that the ALC’s order lists both sets of data projections in the findings of fact section. However, the ALC’s order never explicitly makes a finding of fact indicating which data projections were ultimately relied upon in making its decision. The lack of explicit findings of fact clearly does not meet the standards set forth in Able and its progeny. The only way to arrive at a finding of fact concerning data projections is to imply that the ALC relied on CCC’s data projections. However, Able states that implicit findings of fact are not sufficient. Able Comm’ns, Inc., 290 S.C. at 411, 351 S.E.2d at 152. Thus, it is impossible for this Court to review the order for error because the reasons underlying the decision are left to speculation.
The circuit court sits as a reviewing court that must determine if the ALC’s decision is supported by substantial evidence in the record. See S.C.Code Ann. § 1-23-380 (Supp. 1998).18 While the circuit court attempted to salvage the ALC order, the circuit court’s determinations are also speculative at best. The circuit court should have remanded the order so that the ALC could have fulfilled its responsibilities to the parties. It is not the circuit court’s responsibility to create an acceptable order when the ALC fails to do so. See Kiawah Prop. Owners Group, 338 S.C. at 97, 525 S.E.2d at 865.
*95In conclusion, because the ALC’s order does not meet the standards set forth in Able and its progeny by not expressly finding facts indicating which data projections were ultimately relied upon in making its decision, I would reverse the circuit court’s decision affirming in result the decisions of the DHEC board and the ALC.

. The procedure for reviewing decisions by the ALC under section 1-23-380 has changed to allow for appeals to the court of appeals instead of the circuit court. See S.C.Code Ann. § 1-23-380 (Supp.2008).