HB5145 EngrossedLRB097 16753 CEL 61928 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Abandoned Mined Lands and Water Reclamation
5Act is amended by changing Section 2.11 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 1920/2.11)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 8002.11)
7    Sec. 2.11. Non-coal reclamation.
8    (a) It is hereby declared that open and abandoned tunnels,
9shafts, and entryways and abandoned and deteriorating
10equipment, structures, and facilities resulting from any
11previous non-coal mining operations constitute a hazard to the
12public health and safety. The Department is authorized and
13empowered to fill or seal such abandoned tunnels, shafts, and
14entryways and remove equipment, structures, and facilities
15which it determines could endanger life and property and
16constitute a hazard to the public health and safety.
17    (b) The Department may make expenditures and carry out the
18purposes of this Section for lands mined for substances other
19than coal; provided, however, that annual expenditures for
20non-coal reclamation do not exceed 2% of the Department's
21annual budget for mine land reclamation through August 31,
221999; and provided further, that all obligations for such
23expenditures shall be made by August 31, 2001. Except for those

 

 

HB5145 Engrossed- 2 -LRB097 16753 CEL 61928 b

1non-coal reclamation projects relating to the protection of the
2public health or safety which shall be accorded a high
3priority, non-coal reclamation expenditures shall be made only
4after all reclamation with respect to abandoned coal lands or
5coal development impacts has been accomplished.
6    (c) In those instances where coal mine waste piles are
7being reworked for conservation purposes, the Department may
8make additional incremental expenditures to dispose of the
9wastes from such operations by filling voids and sealing
10tunnels if the disposal of these wastes is in accordance with
11the purposes of this Section.
12    (d) The Department shall acquire, by purchase, exchange,
13gifts, condemnation or otherwise, the fee simple title or any
14lesser interest in and to such land rights or other property as
15the Department considers necessary to carry out the provisions
16of this Section. Transfers and dispositions of such land shall
17be made in the same manner as prescribed by Section 2.07 of
18this Act.
19    (e) Consistent with this Section, the Department may enter
20and reclaim abandoned non-coal mined lands in the same manner
21as prescribed in Section 2.04 of this Act.
22(Source: P.A. 91-727, eff. 6-2-00.)
 
23    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
24becoming law.