Rep. Michael W. Tryon

Filed: 4/10/2013

 

 


 

 


 
09800HB2034ham001LRB098 06286 JDS 44201 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2034

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2034 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following.
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Agricultural Non-Point Source Nutrient Pollution Reduction for
6Clean Water Act.
 
7    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
8    "Agency" means the Illinois Environmental Protection
9Agency.
10    "Agricultural non-point source" means an agricultural
11source of water pollution that does not meet the legal
12definition of "point source" in the Federal Water Pollution
13Control Act.
14    "Fertilizer" means any substance containing nitrogen or
15phosphorus, which is used for its plant nutrient content.
16    "Nutrient" includes, but is not limited to, total

 

 

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1phosphorus, nitrate, and ammonia.
 
2    Section 10. Legislative findings. The General Assembly
3finds that:
4    (1) agricultural storm water runoff and tile drainage can
5cause pollution of the waters of the State, degrade public
6drinking water supplies, produce nuisance algal blooms,
7diminish aquatic recreational opportunities, and threaten
8public health by carrying pollutants from agricultural fields
9into lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and wetlands;
10    (2) crop production, agriculture, animal feeding
11operations, and livestock are consistently cited as among the
12top potential sources of surface water quality impairment in
13the Agency's biennial Illinois Integrated Water Quality
14Reports;
15    (3) several Illinois drinking water utilities that source
16water from surface waters in agricultural watersheds have had
17to purchase nitrate removal technologies to meet drinking water
18standards;
19    (4) eutrophication due to nutrient pollution can cause
20taste and odor problems in lakes;
21    (5) aesthetic impairment due to algal blooms can lower
22waterfront property values;
23    (6) nitrate pollution can be toxic to people;
24    (7) nutrient pollution may adversely affect stream animal
25communities;

 

 

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1    (8) several studies show that adopting nutrient
2conservation practices or ceasing certain fertilizer
3application practices can minimize the negative impacts of
4agricultural non-point source pollution on surface waters.
 
5    Section 15. Agency report. By August 1, 2014, the Illinois
6Environmental Protection Agency, in consultation with a
7stakeholder advisory workgroup that consists of the Illinois
8Department of Agriculture, the Association of Illinois Soil and
9Water Conservation Districts, the Illinois State Office of the
10Natural Resources Conservation Service, university
11researchers, environmental organizations, agricultural
12organizations, and other interested parties that the Agency
13deems appropriate to include, shall submit to the General
14Assembly and the Governor a report that reviews the latest
15available scientific research, regulatory frameworks, and
16institutional knowledge to evaluate and document the
17following:
18        (1) the nature and extent of agricultural non-point
19    source nutrient pollution impacts on surface water quality
20    in Illinois;
21        (2) the nature and extent of agricultural non-point
22    source nutrient pollution impacts on drinking water
23    utilities that source water from surface waters in
24    Illinois;
25        (3) the effectiveness of practices and prohibitions to

 

 

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1    reduce agricultural non-point source nutrient pollution,
2    including at least:
3            (A) prohibitions on the application of fertilizer
4        on top of frozen, ice-covered, or snow-covered ground;
5            (B) prohibitions on the application of fertilizer
6        until the soil temperature is less than 50° F.
7            (C) prohibitions on the application of phosphorous
8        fertilizer when soil test phosphorus exceeds crop
9        needs;
10            (D) subsurface placement of phosphorus fertilizer;
11            (E) riparian buffers;
12            (F) livestock exclusion from surface waters;
13            (G) split-application of fertilizer; and
14            (H) fertilizer application setbacks from surface
15        waters;
16        (4) the costs and benefits of the practices and
17    prohibitions evaluated pursuant to paragraph (3);
18        (5) existing agricultural non-point source nutrient
19    pollution regulations in Illinois and other states;
20        (6) the feasibility of integrating new agricultural
21    non-point source nutrient pollution regulations with
22    existing water pollution regulatory programs in Illinois;
23    and
24        (7) findings and recommendations for adopting
25    regulations to reduce agricultural non-point source
26    nutrient pollution in Illinois.
 

 

 

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1    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
2becoming law.".