HB4021eng 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4021 Engrossed LRB096 03352 JDS 13373 b

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 25d-1, 25d-2, and 25d-3 as follows:

(415 ILCS 5/25d-1)

Sec. 25d-1. Definitions. For the purposes of this Title, the terms "community water system", "non-community water system", "potable", "private water system", and "semi-private water system" have the meanings ascribed to them in the Illinois Groundwater Protection Act. For the purposes of this Title, the term "soil gas" means the air existing in void spaces in the soil between the groundwater table and the ground surface.

(Source: P.A. 94-314, eff. 7-25-05.)

(415 ILCS 5/25d-2)

Sec. 25d-2. Contaminant evaluation. The Agency shall evaluate releases of contaminants whenever it determines that the extent of soil, soil gas, or groundwater contamination may extend beyond the boundary of the site where the release occurred. The Agency shall take appropriate actions in response to the release, which may include, but shall not be limited to, public notices, investigations, administrative orders under Sections 22.2d or 57.12(d) of this Act, and enforcement referrals. Except as provided in Section 25d-3 of this Act, for releases undergoing investigation or remediation under Agency oversight the Agency may determine that no further action is necessary to comply with this Section.

(Source: P.A. 94-314, eff. 7-25-05.)

(415 ILCS 5/25d-3)

Sec. 25d-3. Notices.

(a) Beginning January 1, 2006, if the Agency determines that:

(1) Soil contamination beyond the boundary of the site where the release occurred, soil gas contamination beyond the boundary of the site where the release occurred, or both pose poses a threat of exposure to the public above the appropriate Tier 1 remediation objectives, based on the current use of the off-site property, adopted by the Board under Title XVII of this Act, the Agency shall give notice of the threat to the owner of the contaminated property; or

(2) Groundwater contamination poses a threat of exposure to the public above the Class I groundwater quality standards adopted by the Board under this Act and the Groundwater Protection Act, the Agency shall give notice of the threat to the following:

(A) for any private, semi-private, or non-community water system, the owners of the properties served by the system; and

(B) for any community water system, the owners and operators of the system. The Agency's determination must be based on the credible, scientific information available to it, and the Agency is not required to perform additional investigations or studies beyond those required by applicable federal or State laws.

(b) Beginning January 1, 2006, if any of the following actions occur: (i) the Agency refers a matter for enforcement under Section 43(a) of this Act; (ii) the Agency issues a seal order under Section 34 of this Act; or (iii) the Agency, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), or a third party under Agency or USEPA oversight performs an immediate removal under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended, then, within 60 days after the action, the Agency must give notice of the action to the owners of all property within 2,500 feet of the subject contamination or any closer or farther distance that the Agency deems appropriate under the circumstances. Within 30 days after a request by the Agency, the appropriate officials of the county in which the property is located must provide to the Agency the names and addresses of all property owners to whom the Agency is required to give notice under this subsection (b), these owners being the persons or entities that appear from the authentic tax records of the county.

(c) The methods by which the Agency gives the notices required under this Section shall be determined in consultation with members of the public and appropriate members of the regulated community and may include, but shall not be limited to, personal notification, public meetings, signs, electronic notification, and print media. For sites at which a responsible party has implemented a community relations plan, the Agency may allow the responsible party to provide Agency-approved notices in lieu of the notices required to be given by the Agency. Notices issued under this Section may contain the following information:

(1) the name and address of the site or facility where the release occurred or is suspected to have occurred;

(2) the identification of the contaminant released or suspected to have been released;

(3) information as to whether the contaminant was released or suspected to have been released into the air, land, or water;

(4) a brief description of the potential adverse health effects posed by the contaminant;

(5) a recommendation that water systems with wells impacted or potentially impacted by the contaminant be appropriately tested; and

(6) the name, business address, and phone number of persons at the Agency from whom additional information about the release or suspected release can be obtained.

(d) Any person who is a responsible party with respect to the release or substantial threat of release for which notice is given under this Section is liable for all reasonable costs incurred by the State in giving the notice. All moneys received by the State under this subsection (d) for costs related to releases and substantial threats of releases of hazardous substances, pesticides, and petroleum other than releases and substantial threats of releases of petroleum from underground storage tanks subject to Title XVI of this Act must be deposited in and used for purposes consistent with the Hazardous Waste Fund. All moneys received by the State under this subsection (d) for costs related to releases and substantial threats of releases of petroleum from underground storage tanks subject to Title XVI of this Act must be deposited in and used for purposes consistent with the Underground Storage Tank Fund.

(Source: P.A. 94-314, eff. 7-25-05; 95-454, eff. 8-27-07.)

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