HJ0013HAM002 LRB095 03551 MJR 37957 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 13

2     AMENDMENT NO. ___. Amend House Joint Resolution 13 by
3 replacing everything after the heading with the following:
 
4     "WHEREAS, Compliance with the requirements of the National
5 Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and the effects
6 of surface discharging private sewage disposal systems on
7 communities within the State are matters of extreme importance;
8 and
 
9     WHEREAS, Illinois is mandated by the federal Clean Water
10 Act to adhere to and enforce the standards set forth by the
11 NPDES to protect the waters of the United States; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Failure of Illinois to enforce NPDES standards on
13 surface discharging private sewage disposal systems requires
14 the federal Environmental Protection Agency to withdraw from
15 the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency the authority to

 

 

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1 grant NPDES permits under State and federal law; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Loss of NPDES permit standing could have a
3 devastating effect on jobs and water quality in Illinois; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Malfunctioning or improperly operating and
5 maintained surface discharging private sewage disposal systems
6 can pose serious health hazards; a surface discharging system
7 that is malfunctioning or improperly operating and maintained
8 may contain raw sewage, which is not always obvious or visible
9 to the untrained eye and may contain disease-causing organisms,
10 such as bacteria and viruses that come from the digestive
11 tract, respiratory tract, and skin; diseases commonly
12 associated with improperly treated sewage include
13 Gastroenteritis, Shigellosis, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, and
14 Leptospirosis; and
 
15     WHEREAS, There are soil conditions of the State in which a
16 surface discharging system is the only viable choice due to the
17 poor absorption qualities of the soil types, such as high clay,
18 rock content, or high seasonal water table, although reasonable
19 technical measures may exist to minimize or eliminate
20 discharges from these systems to waters of the United States;
21 and
 
22     WHEREAS, A failing surface discharging system has the

 

 

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1 potential to affect an entire subdivision or surrounding area;
2 in particular the discharge may become a tempting nuisance to
3 neighborhood children and pets who may play in or around the
4 pooling discharge and, subsequently, become directly infected
5 or become the modes of transmission by tracking disease-causing
6 organisms into their homes; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Existing discharging septic systems were
8 permitted to be installed under the Private Sewage Disposal
9 Licensing Act without the owners being aware of the
10 requirements of the federal Clean Water Act; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Different states and regions require varying
12 degrees of permit conditions, including different testing and
13 sampling requirements per year; and
 
14     WHEREAS, We want to ensure that while we protect the
15 environment, we also place the minimum burden possible on
16 owners of these existing and new systems; therefore, be it
 
17     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
19 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Joint Task
20 Force on National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
21 (NPDES) Compliance, which shall be charged with the following
22 tasks:

 

 

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1         (1) examining the State's current compliance with
2     NPDES laws, rules, and guidelines related to surface
3     discharging private sewage disposal systems;
4         (2) forming a reasonably complete picture of where in
5     the State surface discharging private sewage disposal
6     systems have been permitted and where they have not been
7     permitted;
8         (3) examining alternatives to surface discharging
9     private sewage disposal systems;
10         (4) examining how other states are regulating surface
11     discharging private sewage disposal systems; and
12         (5) examining how Illinois can comply with national
13     NPDES laws, rules, and guidelines in such a way as to
14     minimize the financial impact upon Illinois homeowners who
15     currently use surface discharging private sewage disposal
16     systems; and be it further
 
17     RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall consist of 8
18 members, 2 of whom shall be appointed by the President of the
19 Senate; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
20 House of Representatives; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the
21 Minority Leader of the Senate; and 2 of whom shall be appointed
22 by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and be
23 it further
 
24     RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall meet initially at

 

 

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1 the call of the Speaker and the President, shall select 2
2 members as co-chairpersons, one from each political party, at
3 its initial meeting, and shall thereafter meet at the joint
4 call of the co-chairpersons; and be it further
 
5     RESOLVED, That the Environmental Protection Agency shall
6 provide support staff for the Joint Task Force; and be it
7 further
 
8     RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall report its
9 findings to the General Assembly by filing copies of its report
10 with the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate no
11 later than January 1, 2008; and that upon filing its report the
12 Joint Task Force is dissolved.".