State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_SB0145eng

 
SB145 Engrossed                                LRB9100649EGfg

 1        AN ACT in relation to environmental protection.

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

 4        Section  5.   The Environmental Protection Act is amended
 5    by  re-enacting  Title  IV-A  and  adding  Section  19.10  as
 6    follows:

 7        (415 ILCS 5/Title IV-A heading)
 8                 TITLE IV-A: WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
 9                      AND PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES

10        (415 ILCS 5/19.1) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.1)
11        Sec. 19.1.  Legislative findings.  The  General  Assembly
12    finds:
13        (a)  that  local  government  units require assistance in
14    financing the construction of wastewater treatment  works  in
15    order  to  comply  with  the State's program of environmental
16    protection and federally mandated requirements;
17        (b)  that the federal Water Quality Act of 1987  provides
18    an  important  source  of  grant  awards  to  the  State  for
19    providing  assistance  to  local government units through the
20    Water Pollution Control Loan Program;
21        (c)  that local government units  require  assistance  in
22    financing  the construction of their public water supplies to
23    comply  with  State  and  federal  drinking  water  laws  and
24    regulations;
25        (d)  that the federal Safe Drinking Water  Act  ("SDWA"),
26    P.L.  93-532,  as  now  or  hereafter  amended,  provides  an
27    important  source of capitalization grant awards to the State
28    to provide assistance to local government units  through  the
29    Public Water Supply Loan Program; and
30        (e)  that  violations of State and federal drinking water
 
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 1    standards threaten the public interest, safety, and  welfare,
 2    which  demands  that  the  Illinois  Environmental Protection
 3    Agency expeditiously adopt emergency rules to administer  the
 4    Public Water Supply Loan Program.
 5    (Source: P.A. 90-121, eff. 7-17-97.)

 6        (415 ILCS 5/19.2) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.2)
 7        Sec.  19.2.   As  used  in this Title, unless the context
 8    clearly requires otherwise:
 9        (a)  "Agency" means the Illinois Environmental Protection
10    Agency.
11        (b)  "Fund"  means  the  Water  Revolving  Fund   created
12    pursuant  to  this  Title,  consisting of the Water Pollution
13    Control Loan Program, the Public Water Supply  Loan  Program,
14    and the Loan Support Program.
15        (c)  "Loan"  means  a  loan made from the Water Pollution
16    Control Loan Program or the Public Water Supply Loan  Program
17    to  an  eligible  local  government  unit  as  a  result of a
18    contractual agreement between the Agency and such unit.
19        (d)  "Construction"  means  any  one  or  more   of   the
20    following   which   is   undertaken  for  a  public  purpose:
21    preliminary planning to  determine  the  feasibility  of  the
22    treatment   works   or   public  water  supply,  engineering,
23    architectural, legal, fiscal or  economic  investigations  or
24    studies,   surveys,   designs,   plans,   working   drawings,
25    specifications,   procedures   or  other  necessary  actions,
26    erection,  building,  acquisition,  alteration,   remodeling,
27    improvement  or  extension of treatment works or public water
28    supplies, or the inspection or  supervision  of  any  of  the
29    foregoing items.  "Construction" also includes implementation
30    of source water quality protection measures and establishment
31    and   implementation   of  wellhead  protection  programs  in
32    accordance  with  Section  1452(k)(1)  of  the  federal  Safe
33    Drinking Water Act.
 
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 1        (e)  "Intended use plan" means a plan  which  includes  a
 2    description  of  the short and long term goals and objectives
 3    of the Water Pollution Control Loan Program  and  the  Public
 4    Water  Supply  Loan  Program,  project  categories, discharge
 5    requirements,  terms  of   financial   assistance   and   the
 6    communities to be served.
 7        (f)  "Treatment  works"  means  any  devices  and systems
 8    owned by a local government unit and  used  in  the  storage,
 9    treatment,   recycling,   and   reclamation  of  sewerage  or
10    industrial wastes of a liquid nature, including  intercepting
11    sewers,  outfall  sewers,  sewage collection systems, pumping
12    power and other  equipment,  and  appurtenances;  extensions,
13    improvements, remodeling, additions, and alterations thereof;
14    elements  essential  to  provide  a reliable recycled supply,
15    such as standby treatment units and  clear  well  facilities;
16    and  any  works,  including site acquisition of the land that
17    will be  an  integral  part  of  the  treatment  process  for
18    wastewater facilities.
19        (g)  "Local    government    unit"    means   a   county,
20    municipality,  township,  municipal  or  county  sewerage  or
21    utility authority, sanitary district, public water  district,
22    improvement  authority  or  any  other  political subdivision
23    whose primary purpose is to construct, operate  and  maintain
24    wastewater   treatment  facilities  or  public  water  supply
25    facilities or both.
26    (Source: P.A. 89-27, eff. 1-1-96; 90-121, eff. 7-17-97.)

27        (415 ILCS 5/19.3) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.3)
28        Sec. 19.3.  Water Revolving Fund.
29        (a)  There is hereby created within the State Treasury  a
30    Water   Revolving  Fund,  consisting  of  3  interest-bearing
31    special programs to be known as the Water  Pollution  Control
32    Loan  Program,  the Public Water Supply Loan Program, and the
33    Loan Support Program, which shall be used and administered by
 
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 1    the Agency.
 2        (b)  The Water Pollution Control Loan  Program  shall  be
 3    used  and administered by the Agency to provide assistance to
 4    local government units for the following public purposes:
 5             (1)  to accept and retain funds from  grant  awards,
 6        appropriations,  transfers,  and payments of interest and
 7        principal;
 8             (2)  to  make  direct  loans  at  or  below   market
 9        interest  rates  to any eligible local government unit to
10        finance the construction of wastewater treatments works;
11             (3)  to  make  direct  loans  at  or  below   market
12        interest  rates  to any eligible local government unit to
13        buy or refinance debt  obligations  for  treatment  works
14        incurred after March 7, 1985;
15             (4)  to  guarantee  or  purchase insurance for local
16        obligations where such action would improve credit market
17        access or reduce interest rates;
18             (5)  as a source of  revenue  or  security  for  the
19        payment  of  principal and interest on revenue or general
20        obligation bonds issued by the State, if the proceeds  of
21        such bonds will be deposited in the Fund;
22             (6)  to finance the reasonable costs incurred by the
23        Agency in the administration of the Fund; and
24             (7)  to  transfer  funds  to the Public Water Supply
25        Loan Program.
26        (c)  The  Loan  Support  Program  shall   be   used   and
27    administered by the Agency for the following purposes:
28             (1)  to  accept  and  retain funds from grant awards
29        and appropriations;
30             (2)  to finance the reasonable costs incurred by the
31        Agency in  the  administration  of  the  Fund,  including
32        activities  under  Title  III  of this Act, including the
33        administration of the State construction grant program;
34             (3)  to  transfer  funds  to  the  Water   Pollution
 
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 1        Control  Loan  Program  and  the Public Water Supply Loan
 2        Program;
 3             (4)  to accept and retain  a  portion  of  the  loan
 4        repayments;
 5             (5)  to  finance the development of the low interest
 6        loan program for public water supply projects;
 7             (6)  to finance the reasonable costs incurred by the
 8        Agency to provide technical assistance for  public  water
 9        supplies; and
10             (7)  to finance the reasonable costs incurred by the
11        Agency  for  public water system supervision programs, to
12        administer or provide for  technical  assistance  through
13        source   water   protection   programs,  to  develop  and
14        implement a capacity development strategy,  to  delineate
15        and  assess  source  water  protection  areas, and for an
16        operator certification program in accordance with Section
17        1452 of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
18        (d)  The Public Water Supply Loan Program shall  be  used
19    and administered by the Agency to provide assistance to local
20    government  units for public water supplies for the following
21    public purposes:
22             (1)  to accept and retain funds from  grant  awards,
23        appropriations,  transfers,  and payments of interest and
24        principal;
25             (2)  to  make  direct  loans  at  or  below   market
26        interest  rates  to any eligible local government unit to
27        finance the construction of public water supplies;
28             (3)  to buy or refinance the debt  obligation  of  a
29        local  government unit for costs incurred on or after the
30        effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997;
31             (4)  to  guarantee  local  obligations  where   such
32        action  would  improve  credit  market  access  or reduce
33        interest rates;
34             (5)  as a source of  revenue  or  security  for  the
 
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 1        payment  of  principal and interest on revenue or general
 2        obligation bonds issued by the State, if the proceeds  of
 3        such bonds will be deposited into the Fund; and
 4             (6)  to   transfer  funds  to  the  Water  Pollution
 5        Control Loan Program.
 6        (e)   The  Agency  is  designated  as  the  administering
 7    agency of the Fund.  The Agency shall submit to the  Regional
 8    Administrator  of  the United States Environmental Protection
 9    Agency an intended use plan which outlines the  proposed  use
10    of  funds  available to the State.  The Agency shall take all
11    actions necessary to secure to the State the benefits of  the
12    federal  Water  Pollution  Control  Act  and the federal Safe
13    Drinking Water Act, as now or hereafter amended.
14    (Source: P.A. 89-27, eff. 1-1-96; 90-121, eff. 7-17-97.)

15        (415 ILCS 5/19.4) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.4)
16        Sec.  19.4.  The  Agency  shall  have  the  authority  to
17    promulgate regulations to set forth procedures  and  criteria
18    concerning  loan applications, assurance of payment, interest
19    rates,  loan  support  rates,   impact   on   user   charges,
20    eligibility  of  proposed  construction,  priority  of needs,
21    special loan terms for disadvantaged communities, and maximum
22    limits on annual distributions  of  funds  to  applicants  or
23    groups  of applicants.  The Agency shall develop and maintain
24    a priority list of loan applicants as  categorized  by  need.
25    Priority  in  making  loans  from the Water Pollution Control
26    Loan Program must first be given to  local  government  units
27    which need to make capital improvements to achieve compliance
28    with  National  Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit
29    requirements pursuant to the federal  Water  Quality  Act  of
30    1987  and  this Act. Priority in making loans from the Public
31    Water Supply Loan  Program  must  first  be  given  to  local
32    government  units  that  need to make capital improvements to
33    protect human health and to achieve compliance with the State
 
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 1    and federal primary drinking water standards adopted pursuant
 2    to this Act and the federal Safe Drinking Water Act,  as  now
 3    and hereafter amended.
 4    (Source: P.A. 89-27, eff. 1-1-96; 90-121, eff. 7-17-97.)

 5        (415 ILCS 5/19.5) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.5)
 6        Sec. 19.5.  Loans; repayment.
 7        (a)  The  Agency  shall  have the authority to make loans
 8    for a public  purpose  to  local  government  units  for  the
 9    construction  of  treatment  works  and public water supplies
10    pursuant to the regulations promulgated under Section 19.4.
11        (b)  Loans made from the Fund shall provide for:
12             (1)  a schedule of disbursement of proceeds;
13             (2)  a fixed rate that includes  interest  and  loan
14        support  based  upon  priority, but the loan support rate
15        shall not exceed one-half of the fixed  rate  established
16        for each loan;
17             (3)  a schedule of repayment;
18             (4)  initiation  of  principal repayments within one
19        year after the project is operational; and
20             (5)  a confession of judgment upon default.
21        (c)  The Agency may amend existing  loans  to  include  a
22    loan  support  rate  only  if  the  overall  cost to the loan
23    recipient is not increased.
24        (d)  A local government unit shall secure the payment  of
25    its  obligations  to  the  Fund  by  a  dedicated  source  of
26    repayment,  including revenues derived from the imposition of
27    rates, fees and charges.  In the event of a delinquency as to
28    payments to the Fund, the local government unit shall  revise
29    its rates, fees and charges to meet its obligations.
30    (Source: P.A. 89-27, eff. 1-1-96; 90-121, eff. 7-17-97.)

31        (415 ILCS 5/19.6) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.6)
32        Sec. 19.6.  Delinquent loan repayment.
 
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 1        (a)  In  the event that a timely payment is not made by a
 2    local government unit  according  to  the  loan  schedule  of
 3    repayment,  the local government unit shall notify the Agency
 4    in writing within 15 days after the payment  due  date.   The
 5    notification  shall  include  a  statement of the reasons the
 6    payment was not  timely  tendered,  the  circumstances  under
 7    which  the  late  payments  will  be  satisfied,  and binding
 8    commitments to assure future payments.  After receipt of this
 9    notification,  the  Agency  shall  confirm  in  writing   the
10    acceptability  of  the plan or take action in accordance with
11    subsection (b) of this Section.
12        (b)  In the event that a local government unit  fails  to
13    comply  with subsection (a) of this Section, the Agency shall
14    promptly  issue  a  notice  of  delinquency  to   the   local
15    government unit which shall require a written response within
16    30  days.   The  notice of delinquency shall require that the
17    local government unit revise its rates, fees and  charges  to
18    meet  its  obligations  pursuant to subsection (d) of Section
19    19.5 or take other specified actions as may be appropriate to
20    remedy the delinquency and to assure future payments.
21        (c)  In the event that the local government unit fails to
22    timely or adequately respond to a notice of  delinquency,  or
23    fails  to  meet  its obligations made pursuant to subsections
24    (a) and (b) of this Section,  the  Agency  shall  pursue  the
25    collection  of  the  amounts  past  due, the outstanding loan
26    balance and the costs thereby incurred,  either  pursuant  to
27    the  Illinois  State  Collection  Act of 1986 or by any other
28    reasonable means as may be provided by law.
29    (Source: P.A. 90-121, eff. 7-17-97.)

30        (415 ILCS 5/19.8) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.8)
31        Sec. 19.8.  Advisory committees; reports.
32        (a)  The Director of the Agency shall appoint  committees
33    to  advise  the  Agency concerning the financial structure of
 
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 1    the   Programs.    The   committees    shall    consist    of
 2    representatives   from   appropriate   State   agencies,  the
 3    financial  community,   engineering   societies   and   other
 4    interested  parties.   The committees shall meet periodically
 5    and members  shall  be  reimbursed  for  their  ordinary  and
 6    necessary  expenses  incurred  in  the  performance  of their
 7    committee duties.
 8        (b)  The Agency shall report to the General  Assembly  by
 9    June 30, 1998 regarding the feasibility of providing drinking
10    water  loans  to not-for-profit community water supplies that
11    serve  units of local government and to investor-owned public
12    utilities.  The report shall include a detailed discussion of
13    all relevant factors and  shall  include  participation  from
14    representatives of the affected entities.
15    (Source: P.A. 90-121, eff. 7-17-97.)

16        (415 ILCS 5/19.9) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.9)
17        Sec. 19.9.  This Title shall be liberally construed so as
18    to effect its purpose.
19    (Source: P.A. 86-820.)

20        (415 ILCS 5/19.10 new)
21        Sec.   19.10.   Re-enactment  of  Title  IV-A;  findings;
22    purpose; validation.
23        (a)  The General Assembly finds and declares that:
24             (1)  Title IV-A (consisting of Sections 19.1 through
25        19.9) was first added to the Environmental Protection Act
26        by Article III of Public Act 85-1135, effective September
27        1, 1988.  In its original form, Title  IV-A  created  the
28        Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund and authorized the
29        Illinois  Environmental  Protection Agency to establish a
30        program for providing  units  of  local  government  with
31        low-cost   loans  to  be  used  to  construct  wastewater
32        treatment works.  The loans are paid from  the  Revolving
 
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 1        Fund,  which  consists  primarily  of  a  combination  of
 2        federal grant money, State matching money, and money that
 3        has been repaid on past loans.
 4             (2)  In  1995,  Title IV-A was amended by Public Act
 5        89-27, effective January 1, 1997, which created the  Loan
 6        Support Program and made other changes.  The Loan Support
 7        Program  provides  financing  for  certain administrative
 8        costs of the Agency.  It specifically includes the  costs
 9        of  developing  a  loan  program  for public water supply
10        projects.
11             (3)  Title IV-A was amended by  Public  Act  90-121,
12        effective  July  17,  1997, which changed the name of the
13        Water Pollution  Control  Revolving  Fund  to  the  Water
14        Revolving  Fund  and created the Public Water Supply Loan
15        Program.  Under this program, the Agency is authorized to
16        make low-interest loans to units of local government  for
17        the construction of public water supply facilities.
18             (4)  Title  IV-A has also been amended by Public Act
19        86-671,  effective  September  1,  1989;   P.A.   86-820,
20        effective  September  7, 1989; and P.A. 90-372, effective
21        July 1, 1998.
22             (5)  Article III, Section 6, of Public  Act  85-1135
23        amended the Build Illinois Bond Act.  Among other changes
24        to that Act, P.A. 85-1135 authorized the deposit of up to
25        $70,000,000  into  the  Water Pollution Control Revolving
26        Fund to be used for the Title IV-A loan program.
27             (6)  Article III of Public Act  85-1135  also  added
28        Section  5.237  to  the  State Finance Act.  This Section
29        added the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund  to  the
30        list of special funds in the State Treasury.  The Section
31        was  renumbered  as  Section  5.238  by  a revisory bill,
32        Public Act 85-1440, effective February 1, 1989.  Although
33        the name of the Fund was changed by  Public  Act  90-121,
34        that Act did not make the corresponding change in Section
 
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 1        5.238.
 2             (7)  Over  the  10  years  that  it has administered
 3        Title IV-A programs, the Agency  has  entered  into  loan
 4        agreements with hundreds of units of local government and
 5        provided  hundreds  of  millions  of dollars of financial
 6        assistance for water pollution control  projects.   There
 7        are  currently  many  active  Title  IV-A  loans  in  the
 8        disbursement  phase and many more that are in the process
 9        of being repaid.  The Agency continues  to  receive  many
10        new applications each year.
11             (8)  Public  Act  85-1135, which created Title IV-A,
12        also contained provisions  relating  to  tax  reform  and
13        State bonds.
14             (9)  On  August  26,  1998,  the Cook County Circuit
15        Court entered an order in  the  case  of  Oak  Park  Arms
16        Associates v. Whitley (No. 92 L 51045), in which it found
17        that  Public  Act  85-1135  violates  the  single subject
18        clause of the Illinois Constitution (Article IV,  Section
19        8(d)).   As  of  the time this amendatory Act of 1999 was
20        prepared, the order declaring P.A.  85-1135  invalid  has
21        been vacated but the case is subject to appeal.
22             (10)  The  projects  funded  under Title IV-A affect
23        the vital areas of wastewater  and  sewage  disposal  and
24        drinking water supply and are important for the continued
25        health, safety, and welfare of the people of this State.
26        (b)  It  is the purpose of this amendatory Act of 1999 to
27    prevent  or  minimize  any   disruption   to   the   programs
28    administered under Title IV-A that may result from challenges
29    to the constitutional validity of Public Act 85-1135.
30        (c)  This  amendatory Act of 1999 re-enacts Title IV-A of
31    the Environmental Protection Act  as  it  has  been  amended.
32    This  re-enactment  is intended to ensure the continuation of
33    the programs administered under that Title and, if necessary,
34    to recreate them.  The material in Sections 19.1 through 19.9
 
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 1    is  shown  as  existing  text  (i.e.,  without  underscoring)
 2    because, as of the time  this  amendatory  Act  of  1999  was
 3    prepared,  the  order declaring P.A. 85-1135 invalid has been
 4    vacated.  Section  19.7  has  been  omitted  because  it  was
 5    repealed by Public Act 90-372, effective July 1, 1998.
 6        Section  4.1  is  added to the Build Illinois Bond Act to
 7    re-authorize the deposit of funds into  the  Water  Pollution
 8    Control Revolving Fund.
 9        Section 5.238 of the State Finance Act is both re-enacted
10    and  amended  to  reflect  the  current  name  of  the  Water
11    Revolving Fund.
12        (d)  The  re-enactment of Title IV-A of the Environmental
13    Protection Act by this amendatory Act of 1999 is intended  to
14    remove  any  question  as to the validity or content of Title
15    IV-A; it is not intended to supersede any  other  Public  Act
16    that  amends  the  text  of  a  Section  as set forth in this
17    amendatory Act.  This re-enactment is not intended, and shall
18    not be construed, to imply that Public Act 85-1135 is invalid
19    or to limit or  impair  any  legal  argument  concerning  (1)
20    whether  the  Agency  has  express  or  implied  authority to
21    administer loan programs in the absence of Title IV-A, or (2)
22    whether the  provisions  of  Title  IV-A  were  substantially
23    re-enacted by P.A. 89-27 or 90-121.
24        (e)  All   otherwise  lawful  actions  taken  before  the
25    effective  date  of  this  amendatory  Act  of  1999  by  any
26    employee,  officer,  agency,  or  unit  of  State  or   local
27    government  or  by  any  other  person  or  entity, acting in
28    reliance on or pursuant to Title IV-A  of  the  Environmental
29    Protection  Act,  as  set  forth  in Public Act 85-1135 or as
30    subsequently amended, are hereby validated.
31        (f)  All otherwise lawful obligations arising out of loan
32    agreements entered into before the  effective  date  of  this
33    amendatory  Act  of  1999  by  the  State or by any employee,
34    officer, agency, or unit of State or local government, acting
 
SB145 Engrossed             -13-               LRB9100649EGfg
 1    in reliance on or pursuant to Title IV-A of the Environmental
 2    Protection Act, as set forth in  Public  Act  85-1135  or  as
 3    subsequently amended, are hereby validated and affirmed.
 4        (g)  All   otherwise   lawful  deposits  into  the  Water
 5    Pollution Control Revolving Fund made  before  the  effective
 6    date  of  this  amendatory  Act  of  1999  in accordance with
 7    Section 4 of the Build Illinois Bond Act,  as  set  forth  in
 8    Public Act 85-1135 or as subsequently amended, and the use of
 9    those  deposits  for  the  purposes  of  Title  IV-A  of  the
10    Environmental Protection Act, are hereby validated.
11        (h)  This   amendatory   Act  of  1999  applies,  without
12    limitation, to actions pending on or after the effective date
13    of this amendatory Act.

14        Section  10.   The  State  Finance  Act  is  amended   by
15    re-enacting and changing Section 5.238 as follows:

16        (30 ILCS 105/5.238) (from Ch. 127, par. 141.238)
17        Sec. 5.238.  The Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund.
18    (Source: P.A. 85-1440.)

19        Section  15.   The  Build Illinois Bond Act is amended by
20    adding Section 4.1 as follows:

21        (30 ILCS 425/4.1 new)
22        Sec. 4.1. Re-authorization of  deposits  into  the  Water
23    Pollution  Control  Revolving  Fund.   The making of deposits
24    into the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund (now known as
25    the Water Revolving Fund) to provide assistance in accordance
26    with the  provisions  of  Title  IV-A  of  the  Environmental
27    Protection   Act,  in  an  aggregate  amount  not  to  exceed
28    $70,000,000, which was originally authorized in Section 4  of
29    this Act by Public Act 85-1135, is hereby re-authorized.
 
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 1        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
 2    becoming law.

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