Gonzalez v. Whitaker

• Decision Date: 09 March 1982
• Docket Number: No. 5404,5404
• Parties: Arnulfo and Concha GONZALEZ, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. B. F. WHITAKER, Defendant-Appellant, and The Board of County Commissioners of Dona Ana County.
• Court: Court of Appeals of New Mexico

Page 274

643 P.2d 274

97 N.M. 710

Arnulfo and Concha GONZALEZ, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. B. F. WHITAKER, Defendant-Appellant, and The Board of County Commissioners of Dona Ana County.

No. 5404.

Court of Appeals of New Mexico.

March 9, 1982.

Stephen A. Hubert, Beverly J. Singleman, Martin, Lutz, Cresswell & Hubert, P. A., Las Cruces, for defendant-appellant Whitaker

Jose Angel Silva, Jr., Rallis & Silva, El Paso, Tex., for plaintiffs-appellees.

OPINION

WALTERS, Chief Judge.

Defendant B. F. Whitaker (Whitaker) obtained a special use permit from the Dona Ana Board of County Commissioners (Board) to build a dairy near the community of Chamberino in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. Plaintiffs Arnulfo and Concha Gonzalez and other residents of Chamberino (residents), opposing its construction, appealed the Board's decision and the Board denied their appeal. They then brought suit against the Board and Whitaker to enjoin the Board from issuing the special use permit, and to enjoin Whitaker from constructing the dairy, alleging a public ¹ nuisance or, in the alternative, for damages resulting from the creation of a private nuisance. ² Both defendants moved to dismiss for failure to state a claim, which the court treated as motions for summary judgment. Summary judgment was granted to the Board, and that judgment has not been appealed. Whitaker's motion was denied. We granted his application for interlocutory appeal.

Whitaker presents two basic arguments: (1) the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Agency (EIA), not the district court, has primary jurisdiction over the residents' complaint; and (2) since the complaint is premature, the district court erred in denying Whitaker's motion for summary judgment.

1) Primary jurisdiction.

The question of primary jurisdiction was addressed in State ex rel. Norvell v. Arizona Pub. Serv. Co., 85 N.M. 165, 510 P.2d 98 (1973). The Supreme Court there said, quoting from United States v. Western Pac. R. R. Co., 352 U.S. 59, 77 S.Ct. 161, 1 L.Ed.2d 126 (1956):

The doctrine of primary jurisdiction ... is concerned with promoting proper relationships between the courts and administrative agencies charged with particular regulatory duties.... 'Primary jurisdiction' ... applies where the claim is originally cognizable in the courts, and comes into play whenever enforcement of a claim requires the resolution of issues which, under a regulatory scheme, have been placed within the special competence of an administrative body; in such a case the judicial process is suspended pending referral of such issues to the administrative body for its views.

85 N.M. 170, 510 P.2d 103.

Invocation of the doctrine depends on whether the issues presented are factual issues which are within the peculiar expertise of an administrative agency. O'Hare v. Valley Utilities, Inc., 89 N.M. 105, 547 P.2d 1147 (Ct.App.1976).

Plaintiffs' complaint alleges that a nuisance will result from ground water pollution and depletion, objectionable odor, solid waste disposal problems, inadequate design, increased traffic, deterioration of property values and offenses to the aesthetics of the area. Whitaker cites the Environmental Improvement Act, § 74-1-1, et seq., N.M.S.A. 1978, which specifically empowers the EIA to maintain, develop and enforce regulations and standards in areas of water supply and water pollution, liquid and solid waste disposal, air quality management, noise control and vector control.

Whitaker argues that the EIA "was given an all-encompassing power to abate nuisance," citing § 74-1-7 A, supra. It is his position that since the type of environmental problems cited by plaintiffs as causing a public nuisance are those specific types of environmental concerns over which the EIA has regulatory and enforcement power, the EIA should be given jurisdiction to resolve those factual issues which are within its peculiar expertise.

The residents also rely on State ex rel. Norvell, supra, contending that the doctrine of primary jurisdiction does not deprive the courts of subject matter jurisdiction to hear public nuisance cases. They perceive the issue to be whether the district court should have exercised restraint and deferred to the forum with greater expertise in a particular field. Residents argue that the district court was correct in not deferring to the EIA, especially since the EIA would have no expertise over the damage award, which Whitaker concedes. See O'Hare, supra.

As stated in O'Hare, primary jurisdiction is essentially a doctrine of comity between the courts and administrative agencies. The invocation of the doctrine depends on whether the questions presented are "exclusively factual issues within the peculiar expertise of the commission" or "if statutory interpretation or issues of law are significant." Id. The EIA does have certain enforcement powers with respect to some of the nuisances claimed by residents; it does not have the "all-encompassing power to abate nuisance," however. Section 74-1-6E gives EIA the power to "enforce the rules, regulations and orders promulgated by the board and ... laws for which the agency is responsible by appropriate action in courts of competent jurisdiction."

The Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) may promulgate regulations and standards in the following areas:

(1) food protection;

(2) water supply;

(3) liquid waste; solid waste sanitation and refuse disposal;

(4) air quality management as provided in the Air Quality Control Act (74-2-1 to 74-2-17 NMSA 1978);

(5) radiation control as provided in the Radiation Protection Act (74-3-1 to 74- 1-11 NMSA 1978) and radioactive material disposal as provided in the Radioactive Material Disposal Act;

(6) noise control;

(7) nuisance abatement;

(8) vector control;

(9) occupational health and safety as provided in the Occupational Health and Safety Act (50-9-1 to 50-9-25 NMSA 1978);

(10) sanitation of public swimming pools and public baths; and

(11) plumbing, drainage, ventilation and sanitation of public buildings in the interest of public health.

Section 74-1-8 A, N.M.S.A.1978.

Section 74-1-7 A imposes on EIA the responsibility to "maintain, develop and enforce regulations and standards" in the same areas. Neither the EIB nor the EIA is given the power to abate nuisances; the EIB is obliged to promulgate regulations and standards to prevent the creation or to abate the existence of nuisances, but the EIA must enforce the regulations of its Board through the courts. There is a distinction between having the duty to develop and to enforce standards and regulations, and having the power to effect abatement without resort to the judicial system. The statutes covering the duties and authority of the EIA do not provide for resolution by EIA of damage claims by private citizens.

Based on the test for primary jurisdiction enunciated in Norvell and in O'Hare, supra, and the language of the Environmental Improvement Act, the pivotal question is whether the issues raised by the complaint are within the peculiar expertise of the EIA or if the issues of law are significant and should properly be decided by the court.

Whitaker points to no specific regulations that would help to establish that a dairy is or will be a public nuisance. The record indicates that the applicable rules and regulations of the EIA were complied with. In the minutes of the public hearing of the Board of Appeals of the Dona Ana Board of County Commissioners we find:

He (Mr. Huber, attorney for Whitaker) stated Mr. Whitaker has been attending hearings and has complied with all the rules and regulations of the Environmental Improvement Division and the Soil Conservation Service. He has received the approval of those agencies, as well and the County Planning Commission.

The minutes show also that representatives of the Environmental Improvement Division and the Soil Conservation Service appeared at the meeting of the county commission in support of Whitaker's application. It would appear, therefore, that the Environmental Improvement Agency has already exercised whatever "primary jurisdiction" it held-it gave its approval to the construction of the dairy. The question which still remains is: Will the dairy be a nuisance to the surrounding landowners even if applicable EIA regulations have been met, which would justify issuance of an injunction? That decision must be made in the courts, as contemplated by § 74-1-6 E, supra, and New Mexico case law on the tort of nuisance. See First Natl. Bank v. Nor-Am Agr. Prod., 88 N.M. 74, 537 P.2d 682 (Ct.App.1975); Aguayo v. Village of Chama, 79 N.M. 729, 449 P.2d 331 (1969).

Contrary to Whitaker's insistence that this case is no different from Norvell, supra, where plaintiffs asked that certain equipment be installed, the mechanical makeup of a power plant be modified, certain fuel be required to be used, and monitoring and reporting procedures be followed, the instant case asks for prohibition of creation of a "nuisance." Whitaker does not request, as Norvell did, regulation of an enterprise; it asks that an approval of EIA already granted be overturned or, alternatively, that damages be allowed if construction of the dairy is permitted to proceed. The posture of this case is already beyond the regulatory stages of EIA, and it readily falls within the traditional jurisdiction of the court to enjoin, abate, or impose damages for creation of a nuisance, O'Hare v. Valley Utilities, Inc., supra, if one be created.

The trial court did not err in retaining jurisdiction.

2. Does the common law remedy for nuisance survive the enactment of the Environmental Improvement Act?

Citing no authority, Whitaker argues that, unlike other jurisdictions, there is no provision in the New Mexico law which creates the EIA that preserves common law remedies. We assume he contends that since common law remedies regarding abatement of a public nuisance are not specifically mentioned or preserved in §§ 74-1-1, et...