HB5874 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 42450 LNS 75680 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5874

Introduced 11/12/2024, by Rep. Carol Ammons - Brandun Schweizer, Ann M. Williams and Sue Scherer

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

415 ILCS 5/59
415 ILCS 5/59.5

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that no person shall conduct a carbon sequestration activity within a sequestration facility that overlies, underlies, or passes through a sole-source aquifer. Defines "sole-source aquifer". Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning safety.

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

Section 5. The Environmental Protection Act is amended by changing Sections 59 and 59.5 as follows:

(415 ILCS 5/59)

Sec. 59. Definitions. As used in this Title:

"Carbon dioxide capture project" mean a project or facility that:

(1) uses equipment to capture a significant quantity of carbon dioxide directly from the ambient air or uses a process to separate carbon dioxide from industrial or energy-related sources, other than oil or gas production from a well; and

(2) produces a concentrated fluid of carbon dioxide.

"Carbon dioxide stream" means carbon dioxide, any incidental associated substances derived from the source materials and process of producing or capturing carbon dioxide, and any substance added to the stream to enable or improve the injection process or the detection of a leak or rupture.

"Carbon sequestration activity" means the injection of one or more carbon dioxide streams into underground geologic formations under at least one Class VI well permit for long-term sequestration.

"Criteria pollutants" means the 6 pollutants for which the United States Environmental Protection Agency has set National Ambient Air Quality Standards under Section 109 of the Clean Air Act, together with recognized precursors to those pollutants.

"Project labor agreement" means a prehire collective bargaining agreement that covers all terms and conditions of employment on a specific construction project and must include the following:

(1) provisions establishing the minimum hourly wage for each class of labor organization employee;

(2) provisions establishing the benefits and other compensation for each class of labor organization employee;

(3) provisions establishing that no strike or disputes will be engaged in by the labor organization employees;

(4) provisions establishing that no lockout or disputes will be engaged in by the general contractor building the project; and

(5) provisions for minorities and women, as defined under the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act, setting forth goals for apprenticeship hours to be performed by minorities and women and setting forth goals for total hours to be performed by underrepresented minorities and women. "Project labor agreement" includes other terms and conditions a labor organization or general contractor building the project deems necessary.

"Sequestration facility" means the carbon dioxide sequestration reservoir, underground equipment, including, but not limited to, well penetrations, and surface facilities and equipment used or proposed to be used in a carbon sequestration activity. "Sequestration facility" includes each injection well and equipment used to connect surface activities to the carbon dioxide sequestration reservoir and underground equipment. "Sequestration facility" does not include pipelines used to transport carbon dioxide to a sequestration facility.

"Sole-source aquifer" means an aquifer designated as a sole-source or principal aquifer by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, together with the aquifer's upstream areas, which, for purposes of this definition, consist of the project review area of the aquifer, as identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

(Source: P.A. 103-651, eff. 7-18-24.)

(415 ILCS 5/59.5)

Sec. 59.5. Prohibitions.

(a) No person shall conduct a carbon sequestration activity without a permit issued by the Agency under Section 59.6. This prohibition does not apply to any carbon sequestration activity in existence and permitted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly or to any Class VI well for which (1) a Class VI well permit has been filed with the United States Environmental Protection Agency and a completeness determination had been received prior to January 1, 2023, and (2) the sequestration activity will occur on a contiguous property with common ownership where the carbon dioxide is generated, captured, and injected.

(b) No person shall conduct a carbon sequestration activity in violation of this Act.

(c) No person shall conduct a carbon sequestration activity in violation of any applicable rules adopted by the Pollution Control Board.

(d) No person shall conduct a carbon sequestration activity in violation of a permit issued by the Agency under this Act.

(e) No person shall fail to submit reports required by this Act or required by a permit issued by the Agency under this Act.

(f) No person shall conduct a carbon sequestration activity without obtaining an order for integration of pore space from the Department of Natural Resources, if applicable.

(g) No person shall conduct a carbon sequestration activity within a sequestration facility that overlies, underlies, or passes through a sole-source aquifer.

(Source: P.A. 103-651, eff. 7-18-24.)

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