Inland Foundry Co. v. Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority

989 P.2d 102, 98 Wash. App. 121
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedNovember 30, 1999
Docket18110-3-III
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 989 P.2d 102 (Inland Foundry Co. v. Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Inland Foundry Co. v. Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority, 989 P.2d 102, 98 Wash. App. 121 (Wash. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

Sweeney, J.

We are asked to again visit this ongoing dispute between Inland Foundry Company, Inc. (Inland) and the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA). 1 The dispositive question here is whether Inland can challenge a SCAPCA regulatory classification before the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB). We conclude it cannot and therefore affirm the trial court’s decision affirming the PCHB.

FACTS

The underlying litigation started after SCAPCA imposed a $182 registration fee on Inland. Inland refused to pay and appealed to PCHB. Inland contended that SCAPCA was required by its enabling statute to classify Inland as a pollution source before it could collect the registration fee. Inland also argued that SCAPCA failed to consider statutorily required factors in promulgating the rule classifying air polluters.

The PCHB concluded that SCAPCA’s regulation was properly promulgated and granted summary judgment to SCAPCA.

*123 Inland petitioned for review to the superior court, which affirmed the summary judgment. The Court of Appeals granted Inland’s petition for review. In a published opinion, we reversed the summary judgment. Inland Foundry Co. v. Spokane County Air Pollution Control Auth., 82 Wn. App. 67, 915 P.2d 537 (1996) (Inland I). In Inland I, we held that there were genuine issues of material fact as to whether SCAPCA had properly promulgated the classification scheme. We concluded that the record was insufficient for appellate review of the validity of the agency rule. We remanded for further proceedings by the PCHB to determine the validity of the rule. Id. at 74.

On remand, SCAPCA again moved for summary judgment. This time SCAPCA argued that it was entitled to summary judgment because Inland was precluded by the equitable doctrine of laches from challenging the classification. The PCHB concluded that it was without jurisdiction to review the validity of the rule, and that the doctrine of laches precluded Inland’s challenge of the rule. The PCHB again granted summary judgment to SCAPCA.

Inland again petitioned for review to the superior court, which again affirmed the PCHB. Inland appeals and we take the opportunity to revisit Inland I.

DISCUSSION

A. Does the PCHB have jurisdiction to pass on the validity of a SCAPCA rule?

The PCHB expressed reservations as to its authority to pass on the validity of a SCAPCA rule. PCHB Record, Tab 2, at 9 n.2. Those concerns are well founded.

We review jurisdiction de novo. Crosby v. Spokane County, 137 Wn.2d 296, 301, 971 P.2d 32 (1999).

A tribunal’s lack of subject matter jurisdiction may be raised by a party or the court at any time in a legal proceeding. RAP 2.5(a)(1); Okanogan Wilderness League, Inc. v. Town of Twisp, 133 Wn.2d 769, 788, 947 P.2d 732 (1997). Without subject matter jurisdiction, a court or administra *124 tive tribunal may do nothing other than enter an order of dismissal. Crosby, 137 Wn.2d at 301.

PCHB’s Enabling Act. An administrative review board has only the jurisdiction conferred by its authorizing statute. Okanogan Wilderness, 133 Wn.2d at 788-89. RCW 43.21B creates the PCHB.

RCW 43.21B.110 defines the PCHB’s subject matter jurisdiction. Beside SCAPCA orders involving penalties and permits, the PCHB has jurisdiction over those decisions which “must be decided as an adjudicative proceeding under chapter 34.05 RCW” RCW 43.21B.110(1)(h) (formerly (l)(f)) (emphasis added). “The hearings board . . . shall have all powers granted to, an agency by those provisions of chapter 34.05 RCW relating to adjudicative proceedings.” RCW 43.21B.160 (emphasis added).

The PCHB can review only questions of the application of rules and regulations in a particular case. The PCHB does not have jurisdiction to review the rule-making process. City of Seattle v. Department of Ecology, 37 Wn. App. 819, 822, 683 P.2d 244 (1984).

SCAPCÁ’s Enabling Act. SCAPCA is a municipal corporation, not a state agency. RCW 70.94.081. However, SCAPCA’s enabling statute specifically provides that judicial review of SCAPCA’s rules is governed by Part V of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), RCW 34.05. RCW 70.94.141(1).

The APA. Part V of the APA gives jurisdiction to review agency rule making to the superior court. RCW 34.05.-514(1). The petitioner can choose the venue, either in the county where the petitioner resides, where the affected property is located, or in Thurston County. RCW 34.05.-514(1); RCW 34.05.570(2)(b); Dioxin/Organochlorine Ctr. v. Department of Ecology, 119 Wn.2d 761, 770-71, 837 P.2d 1007 (1992).

SCAPCA’s pollution source classification scheme was created in a rule-making, not an adjudicative, proceeding. RCW 70.94.151(1) (“The board of any activated authority *125 . . . may classify air contaminant sources, by ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation . . . Therefore, the PCHB has no jurisdiction to review the validity of the rule and properly dismissed Inland’s challenge. To the extent that Inland claims SCAPCA exceeded its statutory authority in promulgating the rule creating the classification scheme, Inland must bring its challenge in superior court. This it has not done.

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989 P.2d 102, 98 Wash. App. 121, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/inland-foundry-co-v-spokane-county-air-pollution-control-authority-washctapp-1999.