State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB3171

 
                                               LRB9109458ACtm

 1        AN ACT to  amend  the  Environmental  Protection  Act  by
 2    changing Section 4.

 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:

 5        Section  5.  The Environmental Protection Act is  amended
 6    by changing Section 4 as follows:

 7        (415 ILCS 5/4) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1004)
 8        Sec.  4.  Environmental Protection Agency; establishment;
 9    duties.
10        (a)  There is established in the Executive Branch of  the
11    State  Government  an agency to be known as the Environmental
12    Protection Agency. This Agency shall be under the supervision
13    and direction of a Director who shall  be  appointed  by  the
14    Governor  with the advice and consent of the Senate. The term
15    of office of the Director shall expire on the third Monday of
16    January in odd numbered years provided that he shall hold his
17    office until his successor is appointed  and  qualified.  The
18    Director  shall  receive  an  annual  salary  as  set  by the
19    Governor from time to time or  as  set  by  the  Compensation
20    Review  Board, whichever is greater.  If set by the Governor,
21    the Director's annual  salary  may  not  exceed  85%  of  the
22    Governor's  annual  salary.  The Director, in accord with the
23    Personnel Code, shall employ and direct such  personnel,  and
24    shall  provide  for  such laboratory and other facilities, as
25    may be necessary to carry out the purposes of  this  Act.  In
26    addition,  the Director may by agreement secure such services
27    as he may deem necessary from any other  department,  agency,
28    or   unit  of  the  State  Government,  and  may  employ  and
29    compensate such consultants and technical assistants  as  may
30    be required.
31        (b)  The  Agency  shall  have  the  duty  to  collect and
 
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 1    disseminate such information, acquire  such  technical  data,
 2    and  conduct such experiments as may be required to carry out
 3    the purposes of this  Act,  including  ascertainment  of  the
 4    quantity and nature of discharges from any contaminant source
 5    and data on those sources, and to operate and arrange for the
 6    operation  of  devices  for  the  monitoring of environmental
 7    quality.
 8        (c)  The Agency shall have authority to conduct a program
 9    of  continuing  surveillance  and  of  regular  or   periodic
10    inspection  of  actual  or  potential  contaminant  or  noise
11    sources,  of  public  water  supplies, and of refuse disposal
12    sites.
13        (d)  In accordance with constitutional  limitations,  the
14    Agency  shall have authority to enter at all reasonable times
15    upon any private or public property for the purpose of:
16             (1)  Inspecting  and  investigating   to   ascertain
17        possible   violations   of  the  Act  or  of  regulations
18        thereunder,  or  of  permits  or  terms   or   conditions
19        thereof.;or
20             (2)  In  accordance with the provisions of this Act,
21        taking  whatever   preventive   or   corrective   action,
22        including  but not limited to removal or remedial action,
23        that is necessary or  appropriate  whenever  there  is  a
24        release  or  a  substantial  threat of a release of (A) a
25        hazardous substance or pesticide or (B) petroleum from an
26        underground storage tank.
27             (3)  Inspecting or investigating possible violations
28        of this Act or  regulations  thereunder  on  agricultural
29        land  or  facilities used for agricultural purposes.  The
30        Agency shall use the following procedures:
31                  (A) The owner or operator of  the  agricultural
32             land  or  facilities must be notified of the details
33             of the need for the inspection or investigation.
34                  (B)  The  person  making  the   inspection   or
 
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 1             investigation  shall  (i)  provide  on-site  written
 2             details  to  the  owner or operator of any purported
 3             violation with specific cites of  the  environmental
 4             law   or   regulations   and   procedures  conducted
 5             thereunder; and (ii) the owner or operator shall  be
 6             given the opportunity by the Agency to enter into an
 7             agreement  of  compliance setting forth the specific
 8             action and timetable to correct the violation before
 9             further enforcement action is taken.
10                  (C)  The  person  making  any   inspection   or
11             investigation shall comply with reasonable animal or
12             safety  protection  procedures  as  requested by the
13             owner or operator.
14        (e)  The  Agency  shall  have  the  duty  to  investigate
15    violations of this Act or of regulations adopted  thereunder,
16    or  of  permits  or  terms  or  conditions  thereof, to issue
17    administrative citations as provided in Section 31.1 of  this
18    Act,  and  to  take  such  summary  enforcement  action as is
19    provided for by Section 34 of this Act.
20        (f)  The Agency shall appear  before  the  Board  in  any
21    hearing upon a petition for variance, the denial of a permit,
22    or  the  validity  or  effect  of a rule or regulation of the
23    Board, and shall have the  authority  to  appear  before  the
24    Board in any hearing under the Act.
25        (g)  The  Agency  shall  have  the duty to administer, in
26    accord  with  Title  X  of  this   Act,   such   permit   and
27    certification systems as may be established by this Act or by
28    regulations  adopted  thereunder.  The  Agency may enter into
29    written delegation agreements with any department, agency, or
30    unit of State or local government under which all or portions
31    of this duty may be delegated for public water supply storage
32    and  transport  systems,  sewage  collection  and   transport
33    systems,  air  pollution  control  sources  with uncontrolled
34    emissions of 100 tons per year or  less  and  application  of
 
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 1    algicides to waters of the State.  Such delegation agreements
 2    will require that the work to be performed thereunder will be
 3    in accordance with Agency criteria, subject to Agency review,
 4    and  shall include such financial and program auditing by the
 5    Agency as may be required.
 6        (h)  The Agency  shall  have  authority  to  require  the
 7    submission  of  complete  plans  and  specifications from any
 8    applicant for a permit required by this Act or by regulations
 9    thereunder, and to require the  submission  of  such  reports
10    regarding  actual  or  potential  violations of the Act or of
11    regulations thereunder, or of permits or terms or  conditions
12    thereof, as may be necessary for purposes of this Act.
13        (i)  The    Agency   shall   have   authority   to   make
14    recommendations to the Board for the adoption of  regulations
15    under Title VII of the Act.
16        (j)  The  Agency  shall  have  the  duty to represent the
17    State of Illinois in any and all matters pertaining to plans,
18    procedures, or negotiations for interstate compacts or  other
19    governmental    arrangements    relating   to   environmental
20    protection.
21        (k)  The Agency  shall  have  the  authority  to  accept,
22    receive,  and  administer  on behalf of the State any grants,
23    gifts, loans, indirect cost reimbursements,  or  other  funds
24    made  available  to the State from any source for purposes of
25    this Act or for air or water pollution control, public  water
26    supply,  solid  waste  disposal,  noise  abatement,  or other
27    environmental protection activities,  surveys,  or  programs.
28    Any  federal  funds  received  by the Agency pursuant to this
29    subsection shall be deposited in a trust fund with the  State
30    Treasurer  and  held  and disbursed by him in accordance with
31    Treasurer as Custodian  of  Funds  Act,  provided  that  such
32    monies shall be used only for the purposes for which they are
33    contributed  and  any  balance remaining shall be returned to
34    the contributor.
 
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 1        The Agency is authorized to promulgate  such  regulations
 2    and  enter  into  such contracts as it may deem necessary for
 3    carrying out the provisions of this subsection.
 4        (l)  The Agency is hereby designated as  water  pollution
 5    agency  for  the  state for all purposes of the Federal Water
 6    Pollution Control Act, as amended; as implementing agency for
 7    the State for all purposes of the Safe  Drinking  Water  Act,
 8    Public  Law  93-523,  as  now  or  hereafter  amended, except
 9    Section 1425 of that Act; as air  pollution  agency  for  the
10    state  for  all purposes of the Clean Air Act of 1970, Public
11    Law 91-604, approved December 31, 1970, as  amended;  and  as
12    solid  waste  agency  for  the  state for all purposes of the
13    Solid Waste Disposal Act, Public Law 89-272, approved October
14    20, 1965, and amended by the Resource Recovery Act  of  1970,
15    Public Law 91-512, approved October 26, 1970, as amended, and
16    amended  by  the  Resource  Conservation  and Recovery Act of
17    1976, (P.L. 94-580) approved October 21, 1976, as amended; as
18    noise control agency for the state for all  purposes  of  the
19    Noise  Control  Act  of  1972,  Public  Law  92-574, approved
20    October 27, 1972, as amended; and as implementing agency  for
21    the State for all purposes of the Comprehensive Environmental
22    Response,  Compensation,  and  Liability  Act  of  1980 (P.L.
23    96-510), as  amended;  and  otherwise  as  pollution  control
24    agency for the State pursuant to federal laws integrated with
25    the  foregoing laws, for financing purposes or otherwise. The
26    Agency is hereby authorized to take all action  necessary  or
27    appropriate  to  secure  to  the  State  the benefits of such
28    federal Acts, provided that the Agency shall transmit to  the
29    United  States  without  change  any standards adopted by the
30    Pollution Control Board pursuant to Section 5(c) of this Act.
31    This subsection (l) of Section 4 shall not  be  construed  to
32    bar  or  prohibit  the  Environmental  Protection  Trust Fund
33    Commission from accepting, receiving, and   administering  on
34    behalf  of  the State any grants, gifts, loans or other funds
 
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 1    for  which  the  Commission  is  eligible  pursuant  to   the
 2    Environmental Protection Trust Fund Act. The Agency is hereby
 3    designated   as   the   State  agency  for  all  purposes  of
 4    administering the requirements of Section 313 of the  federal
 5    Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986.
 6        Any  municipality,  sanitary district, or other political
 7    subdivision, or any Agency of the State or interstate Agency,
 8    which makes  application  for  loans  or  grants  under  such
 9    federal Acts shall notify the Agency of such application; the
10    Agency  may  participate  in  proceedings  under such federal
11    Acts.
12        (m)  The Agency shall  have  authority,  consistent  with
13    Section  5(c)  and  other  provisions  of  this  Act, and for
14    purposes of Section 303(e) of  the  Federal  Water  Pollution
15    Control  Act,  as  now  or  hereafter  amended,  to engage in
16    planning processes and activities and  to  develop  plans  in
17    cooperation  with  units  of local government, state agencies
18    and officers, and other  appropriate  persons  in  connection
19    with  the  jurisdiction  or duties of each such unit, agency,
20    officer or person. Public  hearings  shall  be  held  on  the
21    planning  process,  at which any person shall be permitted to
22    appear and  be  heard,  pursuant  to  procedural  regulations
23    promulgated by the Agency.
24        (n)  In  accordance  with  the  powers conferred upon the
25    Agency by Sections 10(g), 13(b), 19, 22(d)  and  25  of  this
26    Act, the Agency shall have authority to establish and enforce
27    minimum  standards for the operation of laboratories relating
28    to analyses and laboratory tests  for  air  pollution,  water
29    pollution,  noise emissions, contaminant discharges onto land
30    and  sanitary,  chemical,  and  mineral  quality   of   water
31    distributed  by  a public water supply.  The Agency may enter
32    into formal working  agreements  with  other  departments  or
33    agencies  of  state government under which all or portions of
34    this authority may be delegated to the cooperating department
 
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 1    or agency.
 2        (o)  The  Agency  shall  have  the  authority  to   issue
 3    certificates   of  competency  to  persons  and  laboratories
 4    meeting the minimum standards established by  the  Agency  in
 5    accordance  with  Section  4(n) of this Act and to promulgate
 6    and enforce regulations relevant to the issuance and  use  of
 7    such  certificates.  The Agency may enter into formal working
 8    agreements  with  other  departments  or  agencies  of  state
 9    government under which all or portions of this authority  may
10    be delegated to the cooperating department or agency.
11        (p)  Except as provided in Section 17.7, the Agency shall
12    have the duty to analyze samples as required from each public
13    water  supply  to  determine  compliance with the contaminant
14    levels specified by the Pollution Control Board. The  maximum
15    number  of  samples  which  the  Agency  shall be required to
16    analyze for microbiological quality shall be 6 per month, but
17    the Agency may, at its option, analyze a larger  number  each
18    month   for  any  supply.  Results  of  sample  analyses  for
19    additional  required  bacteriological   testing,   turbidity,
20    residual chlorine and radionuclides are to be provided to the
21    Agency  in  accordance  with  Section  19.  Owners  of  water
22    supplies may enter into agreements with the Agency to provide
23    for reduced Agency participation in sample analyses.
24        (q)  The  Agency  shall  have  the  authority  to provide
25    notice to any person who may be liable  pursuant  to  Section
26    22.2(f)  of this Act for a release or a substantial threat of
27    a release of a hazardous substance or pesticide.  Such notice
28    shall  include  the  identified  response   action   and   an
29    opportunity for such person to perform the response action.
30        (r)  The   Agency   may  enter  into  written  delegation
31    agreements with any unit of local government under  which  it
32    may delegate all or portions of its inspecting, investigating
33    and  enforcement functions.  Such delegation agreements shall
34    require that work performed thereunder be in accordance  with
 
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 1    Agency criteria and subject to Agency review. Notwithstanding
 2    any  other provision of law to the contrary, no unit of local
 3    government shall be liable for any injury resulting from  the
 4    exercise  of  its  authority  pursuant  to  such a delegation
 5    agreement unless the injury  is  proximately  caused  by  the
 6    willful  and wanton negligence of an agent or employee of the
 7    unit  of  local  government,  and  any  policy  of  insurance
 8    coverage issued to a unit of local government may provide for
 9    the denial of liability and the nonpayment  of  claims  based
10    upon  injuries  for which the unit of local government is not
11    liable pursuant to this subsection (r).
12        (s)  The Agency shall have  authority  to  take  whatever
13    preventive  or corrective action is necessary or appropriate,
14    including  but  not  limited   to   expenditure   of   monies
15    appropriated  from the Build Illinois Bond Fund and the Build
16    Illinois  Purposes  Fund  for  removal  or  remedial  action,
17    whenever any hazardous substance or pesticide is released  or
18    there  is  a  substantial  threat  of such a release into the
19    environment.  The State, the Director, and any State employee
20    shall be indemnified for any damages or injury arising out of
21    or resulting from any action  taken  under  this  subsection.
22    The  Director  of the Agency is authorized to enter into such
23    contracts and agreements as are necessary to  carry  out  the
24    Agency's duties under this subsection.
25        (t)  The   Agency  shall  have  authority  to  distribute
26    grants, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, for
27    financing   and   construction   of   municipal    wastewater
28    facilities.  With respect to all monies appropriated from the
29    Build Illinois Bond Fund and the Build Illinois Purposes Fund
30    for   wastewater  facility  grants,  the  Agency  shall  make
31    distributions in conformity with the  rules  and  regulations
32    established  pursuant  to the Anti-Pollution Bond Act, as now
33    or hereafter amended.
34        (u)  Pursuant to the  Illinois  Administrative  Procedure
 
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 1    Act,  the Agency shall have the authority to adopt such rules
 2    as are necessary or appropriate for the Agency  to  implement
 3    Section 31.1 of this Act.
 4        (v)  (Blank)
 5        (w)  Neither  the State, nor the Director, nor the Board,
 6    nor any State employee shall be liable  for  any  damages  or
 7    injury  arising  out  of  or  resulting from any action taken
 8    under subsection (s) or subsection (v).
 9        (x)(1)  The Agency shall  have  authority  to  distribute
10    grants,  subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, to
11    units of local government for financing and  construction  of
12    public  water  supply facilities.  With respect to all monies
13    appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund or  the  Build
14    Illinois  Purposes  Fund for public water supply grants, such
15    grants shall be made in accordance with rules promulgated  by
16    the  Agency.  Such  rules  shall  include a requirement for a
17    local match of 30% of the total  project  cost  for  projects
18    funded through such grants.
19        (2)  The  Agency shall not terminate a grant to a unit of
20    local government for the financing and construction of public
21    water supply facilities unless and until  the  Agency  adopts
22    rules that set forth precise and complete standards, pursuant
23    to Section 5-20 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act,
24    for  the  termination  of  such grants.  The Agency shall not
25    make determinations on whether specific grant conditions  are
26    necessary  to ensure the integrity of a project or on whether
27    subagreements shall be awarded, with respect  to  grants  for
28    the   financing  and  construction  of  public  water  supply
29    facilities, unless and until the Agency adopts rules that set
30    forth precise and complete  standards,  pursuant  to  Section
31    5-20 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, for making
32    such  determinations.  The Agency shall not issue a stop-work
33    order in relation to such grants unless and until the  Agency
34    adopts  precise  and  complete standards, pursuant to Section
 
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 1    5-20  of  the  Illinois  Administrative  Procedure  Act,  for
 2    determining whether to issue a stop-work order.
 3        (y)  The Agency  shall  have  authority  to  release  any
 4    person   from   further   responsibility  for  preventive  or
 5    corrective  action  under  this  Act   following   successful
 6    completion  of  preventive or corrective action undertaken by
 7    such person upon written request by the person.
 8    (Source: P.A. 91-25, eff. 6-9-99.)

 9        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
10    becoming law.

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