Section 351.101  Preamble

Section 4(m) of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1979, Ch. 111½, Par. 1001 et seq.)  (Act) designates the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Agency) as pollution control agency for the State of Illinois for all purposes of the federal Clean Water Act (33 U.SC. 1251 et seq.).  In addition, the Act specifically authorizes the Agency, for purposes of Section 303(e) of the Clean Water Act, to engage in planning processes and activities, to develop plans in cooperation with units of local government, other state agencies and persons, and to promulgate procedural regulations for the holding of public hearings on the planning process. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1979, Ch. 111½, Par. 1004(n)).

Section 303(e) requires Illinois to have a continuing planning process, approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), resulting in Water Quality Management (WQM) Plans for all navigable waters in the state.  These Plans must incorporate the elements of any areawide water quality management plan adopted under Section 208 of the Clean Water Act and must provide procedures for revision of the WQM Plans.  Revisions to WQM Plans pursuant to these rules and to the Agency's continuing planning process are incorporated into the annual program plan submitted to USEPA and approved pursuant to Section 106 of the Clean Water Act.