102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB1543

 

Introduced 2/17/2021, by Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
415 ILCS 5/4  from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1004

    Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the duties of the Environmental Protection Agency.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB1543LRB102 03559 CPF 13572 b

1    AN ACT concerning safety.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Environmental Protection Act is amended by
5changing Section 4 as follows:
 
6    (415 ILCS 5/4)  (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1004)
7    Sec. 4. Environmental Protection Agency; establishment;
8duties.
9    (a) There is established in the the Executive Branch of
10the State Government an agency to be known as the
11Environmental Protection Agency. This Agency shall be under
12the supervision and direction of a Director who shall be
13appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the
14Senate. The term of office of the Director shall expire on the
15third Monday of January in odd numbered years, provided that
16he or she shall hold office until a successor is appointed and
17has qualified. For terms ending before December 31, 2019, the
18Director shall receive an annual salary as set by the
19Compensation Review Board. For terms beginning after the
20effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General
21Assembly, the Director's annual salary shall be an amount
22equal to 15% more than the Director's annual salary as of
23December 31, 2018. The calculation of the 2018 salary base for

 

 

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1this adjustment shall not include any cost of living
2adjustments, as authorized by Senate Joint Resolution 192 of
3the 86th General Assembly, for the period beginning July 1,
42009 to June 30, 2019. Beginning July 1, 2019 and each July 1
5thereafter, the Director shall receive an increase in salary
6based on a cost of living adjustment as authorized by Senate
7Joint Resolution 192 of the 86th General Assembly. The
8Director, in accord with the Personnel Code, shall employ and
9direct such personnel, and shall provide for such laboratory
10and other facilities, as may be necessary to carry out the
11purposes of this Act. In addition, the Director may by
12agreement secure such services as he or she may deem necessary
13from any other department, agency, or unit of the State
14Government, and may employ and compensate such consultants and
15technical assistants as may be required.
16    (b) The Agency shall have the duty to collect and
17disseminate such information, acquire such technical data, and
18conduct such experiments as may be required to carry out the
19purposes of this Act, including ascertainment of the quantity
20and nature of discharges from any contaminant source and data
21on those sources, and to operate and arrange for the operation
22of devices for the monitoring of environmental quality.
23    (c) The Agency shall have authority to conduct a program
24of continuing surveillance and of regular or periodic
25inspection of actual or potential contaminant or noise
26sources, of public water supplies, and of refuse disposal

 

 

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1sites.
2    (d) In accordance with constitutional limitations, the
3Agency shall have authority to enter at all reasonable times
4upon any private or public property for the purpose of:
5        (1) Inspecting and investigating to ascertain possible
6    violations of this Act, any rule or regulation adopted
7    under this Act, any permit or term or condition of a
8    permit, or any Board order; or
9        (2) In accordance with the provisions of this Act,
10    taking whatever preventive or corrective action, including
11    but not limited to removal or remedial action, that is
12    necessary or appropriate whenever there is a release or a
13    substantial threat of a release of (A) a hazardous
14    substance or pesticide or (B) petroleum from an
15    underground storage tank.
16    (e) The Agency shall have the duty to investigate
17violations of this Act, any rule or regulation adopted under
18this Act, any permit or term or condition of a permit, or any
19Board order; to issue administrative citations as provided in
20Section 31.1 of this Act; and to take such summary enforcement
21action as is provided for by Section 34 of this Act.
22    (f) The Agency shall appear before the Board in any
23hearing upon a petition for variance or time-limited water
24quality standard, the denial of a permit, or the validity or
25effect of a rule or regulation of the Board, and shall have the
26authority to appear before the Board in any hearing under the

 

 

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1Act.
2    (g) The Agency shall have the duty to administer, in
3accord with Title X of this Act, such permit and certification
4systems as may be established by this Act or by regulations
5adopted thereunder. The Agency may enter into written
6delegation agreements with any department, agency, or unit of
7State or local government under which all or portions of this
8duty may be delegated for public water supply storage and
9transport systems, sewage collection and transport systems,
10air pollution control sources with uncontrolled emissions of
11100 tons per year or less and application of algicides to
12waters of the State. Such delegation agreements will require
13that the work to be performed thereunder will be in accordance
14with Agency criteria, subject to Agency review, and shall
15include such financial and program auditing by the Agency as
16may be required.
17    (h) The Agency shall have authority to require the
18submission of complete plans and specifications from any
19applicant for a permit required by this Act or by regulations
20thereunder, and to require the submission of such reports
21regarding actual or potential violations of this Act, any rule
22or regulation adopted under this Act, any permit or term or
23condition of a permit, or any Board order, as may be necessary
24for the purposes of this Act.
25    (i) The Agency shall have authority to make
26recommendations to the Board for the adoption of regulations

 

 

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1under Title VII of the Act.
2    (j) The Agency shall have the duty to represent the State
3of Illinois in any and all matters pertaining to plans,
4procedures, or negotiations for interstate compacts or other
5governmental arrangements relating to environmental
6protection.
7    (k) The Agency shall have the authority to accept,
8receive, and administer on behalf of the State any grants,
9gifts, loans, indirect cost reimbursements, or other funds
10made available to the State from any source for purposes of
11this Act or for air or water pollution control, public water
12supply, solid waste disposal, noise abatement, or other
13environmental protection activities, surveys, or programs. Any
14federal funds received by the Agency pursuant to this
15subsection shall be deposited in a trust fund with the State
16Treasurer and held and disbursed by him in accordance with
17Treasurer as Custodian of Funds Act, provided that such monies
18shall be used only for the purposes for which they are
19contributed and any balance remaining shall be returned to the
20contributor.
21    The Agency is authorized to promulgate such regulations
22and enter into such contracts as it may deem necessary for
23carrying out the provisions of this subsection.
24    (l) The Agency is hereby designated as water pollution
25agency for the state for all purposes of the Federal Water
26Pollution Control Act, as amended; as implementing agency for

 

 

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1the State for all purposes of the Safe Drinking Water Act,
2Public Law 93-523, as now or hereafter amended, except Section
31425 of that Act; as air pollution agency for the state for all
4purposes of the Clean Air Act of 1970, Public Law 91-604,
5approved December 31, 1970, as amended; and as solid waste
6agency for the state for all purposes of the Solid Waste
7Disposal Act, Public Law 89-272, approved October 20, 1965,
8and amended by the Resource Recovery Act of 1970, Public Law
991-512, approved October 26, 1970, as amended, and amended by
10the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, (P.L.
1194-580) approved October 21, 1976, as amended; as noise
12control agency for the state for all purposes of the Noise
13Control Act of 1972, Public Law 92-574, approved October 27,
141972, as amended; and as implementing agency for the State for
15all purposes of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
16Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-510), as
17amended; and otherwise as pollution control agency for the
18State pursuant to federal laws integrated with the foregoing
19laws, for financing purposes or otherwise. The Agency is
20hereby authorized to take all action necessary or appropriate
21to secure to the State the benefits of such federal Acts,
22provided that the Agency shall transmit to the United States
23without change any standards adopted by the Pollution Control
24Board pursuant to Section 5(c) of this Act. This subsection
25(l) of Section 4 shall not be construed to bar or prohibit the
26Environmental Protection Trust Fund Commission from accepting,

 

 

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1receiving, and administering on behalf of the State any
2grants, gifts, loans or other funds for which the Commission
3is eligible pursuant to the Environmental Protection Trust
4Fund Act. The Agency is hereby designated as the State agency
5for all purposes of administering the requirements of Section
6313 of the federal Emergency Planning and Community
7Right-to-Know Act of 1986.
8    Any municipality, sanitary district, or other political
9subdivision, or any Agency of the State or interstate Agency,
10which makes application for loans or grants under such federal
11Acts shall notify the Agency of such application; the Agency
12may participate in proceedings under such federal Acts.
13    (m) The Agency shall have authority, consistent with
14Section 5(c) and other provisions of this Act, and for
15purposes of Section 303(e) of the Federal Water Pollution
16Control Act, as now or hereafter amended, to engage in
17planning processes and activities and to develop plans in
18cooperation with units of local government, state agencies and
19officers, and other appropriate persons in connection with the
20jurisdiction or duties of each such unit, agency, officer or
21person. Public hearings shall be held on the planning process,
22at which any person shall be permitted to appear and be heard,
23pursuant to procedural regulations promulgated by the Agency.
24    (n) In accordance with the powers conferred upon the
25Agency by Sections 10(g), 13(b), 19, 22(d) and 25 of this Act,
26the Agency shall have authority to establish and enforce

 

 

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1minimum standards for the operation of laboratories relating
2to analyses and laboratory tests for air pollution, water
3pollution, noise emissions, contaminant discharges onto land
4and sanitary, chemical, and mineral quality of water
5distributed by a public water supply. The Agency may enter
6into formal working agreements with other departments or
7agencies of state government under which all or portions of
8this authority may be delegated to the cooperating department
9or agency.
10    (o) The Agency shall have the authority to issue
11certificates of competency to persons and laboratories meeting
12the minimum standards established by the Agency in accordance
13with Section 4(n) of this Act and to promulgate and enforce
14regulations relevant to the issuance and use of such
15certificates. The Agency may enter into formal working
16agreements with other departments or agencies of state
17government under which all or portions of this authority may
18be delegated to the cooperating department or agency.
19    (p) Except as provided in Section 17.7, the Agency shall
20have the duty to analyze samples as required from each public
21water supply to determine compliance with the contaminant
22levels specified by the Pollution Control Board. The maximum
23number of samples which the Agency shall be required to
24analyze for microbiological quality shall be 6 per month, but
25the Agency may, at its option, analyze a larger number each
26month for any supply. Results of sample analyses for

 

 

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1additional required bacteriological testing, turbidity,
2residual chlorine and radionuclides are to be provided to the
3Agency in accordance with Section 19. Owners of water supplies
4may enter into agreements with the Agency to provide for
5reduced Agency participation in sample analyses.
6    (q) The Agency shall have the authority to provide notice
7to any person who may be liable pursuant to Section 22.2(f) of
8this Act for a release or a substantial threat of a release of
9a hazardous substance or pesticide. Such notice shall include
10the identified response action and an opportunity for such
11person to perform the response action.
12    (r) The Agency may enter into written delegation
13agreements with any unit of local government under which it
14may delegate all or portions of its inspecting, investigating
15and enforcement functions. Such delegation agreements shall
16require that work performed thereunder be in accordance with
17Agency criteria and subject to Agency review. Notwithstanding
18any other provision of law to the contrary, no unit of local
19government shall be liable for any injury resulting from the
20exercise of its authority pursuant to such a delegation
21agreement unless the injury is proximately caused by the
22willful and wanton negligence of an agent or employee of the
23unit of local government, and any policy of insurance coverage
24issued to a unit of local government may provide for the denial
25of liability and the nonpayment of claims based upon injuries
26for which the unit of local government is not liable pursuant

 

 

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1to this subsection (r).
2    (s) The Agency shall have authority to take whatever
3preventive or corrective action is necessary or appropriate,
4including but not limited to expenditure of monies
5appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund and the Build
6Illinois Purposes Fund for removal or remedial action,
7whenever any hazardous substance or pesticide is released or
8there is a substantial threat of such a release into the
9environment. The State, the Director, and any State employee
10shall be indemnified for any damages or injury arising out of
11or resulting from any action taken under this subsection. The
12Director of the Agency is authorized to enter into such
13contracts and agreements as are necessary to carry out the
14Agency's duties under this subsection.
15    (t) The Agency shall have authority to distribute grants,
16subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, to units of
17local government for financing and construction of wastewater
18facilities in both incorporated and unincorporated areas. With
19respect to all monies appropriated from the Build Illinois
20Bond Fund and the Build Illinois Purposes Fund for wastewater
21facility grants, the Agency shall make distributions in
22conformity with the rules and regulations established pursuant
23to the Anti-Pollution Bond Act, as now or hereafter amended.
24    (u) Pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act,
25the Agency shall have the authority to adopt such rules as are
26necessary or appropriate for the Agency to implement Section

 

 

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131.1 of this Act.
2    (v) (Blank.)
3    (w) Neither the State, nor the Director, nor the Board,
4nor any State employee shall be liable for any damages or
5injury arising out of or resulting from any action taken under
6subsection (s).
7    (x)(1) The Agency shall have authority to distribute
8grants, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, to
9units of local government for financing and construction of
10public water supply facilities. With respect to all monies
11appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund or the Build
12Illinois Purposes Fund for public water supply grants, such
13grants shall be made in accordance with rules promulgated by
14the Agency. Such rules shall include a requirement for a local
15match of 30% of the total project cost for projects funded
16through such grants.
17    (2) The Agency shall not terminate a grant to a unit of
18local government for the financing and construction of public
19water supply facilities unless and until the Agency adopts
20rules that set forth precise and complete standards, pursuant
21to Section 5-20 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act,
22for the termination of such grants. The Agency shall not make
23determinations on whether specific grant conditions are
24necessary to ensure the integrity of a project or on whether
25subagreements shall be awarded, with respect to grants for the
26financing and construction of public water supply facilities,

 

 

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1unless and until the Agency adopts rules that set forth
2precise and complete standards, pursuant to Section 5-20 of
3the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, for making such
4determinations. The Agency shall not issue a stop-work order
5in relation to such grants unless and until the Agency adopts
6precise and complete standards, pursuant to Section 5-20 of
7the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, for determining
8whether to issue a stop-work order.
9    (y) The Agency shall have authority to release any person
10from further responsibility for preventive or corrective
11action under this Act following successful completion of
12preventive or corrective action undertaken by such person upon
13written request by the person.
14    (z) To the extent permitted by any applicable federal law
15or regulation, for all work performed for State construction
16projects which are funded in whole or in part by a capital
17infrastructure bill enacted by the 96th General Assembly by
18sums appropriated to the Environmental Protection Agency, at
19least 50% of the total labor hours must be performed by actual
20residents of the State of Illinois. For purposes of this
21subsection, "actual residents of the State of Illinois" means
22persons domiciled in the State of Illinois. The Department of
23Labor shall promulgate rules providing for the enforcement of
24this subsection.
25    (aa) The Agency may adopt rules requiring the electronic
26submission of any information required to be submitted to the

 

 

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1Agency pursuant to any State or federal law or regulation or
2any court or Board order. Any rules adopted under this
3subsection (aa) must include, but are not limited to,
4identification of the information to be submitted
5electronically.
6(Source: P.A. 99-937, eff. 2-24-17; 100-1179, eff. 1-18-19.)