102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4308

 

Introduced 1/5/2022, by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
220 ILCS 85/25 new
220 ILCS 85/30 new
220 ILCS 85/35 new
220 ILCS 85/40 new
220 ILCS 85/45 new
220 ILCS 85/50 new
220 ILCS 85/55 new
220 ILCS 85/60 new

    Amends the Pembroke Township Natural Gas Investment Pilot Program Act. Provides that none of the funds authorized or appropriated by the Act shall be used to take any of the land or personal property of any landowner or resident of Pembroke Township or the Village of Hopkins Park for the purpose of the design, construction, and installation of any natural gas pipeline without the expressed and written consent of the landowner or property owner. Provides that the Department of Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Commerce Commission may take specified actions in furtherance of public accountability and to guard against any misuse of public funds. Provides for a study and report on energy policy development options and a study of the projected impact and rate estimates for local households, consumers, businesses, farmers, and other industries from design, construction, installation, and operation of any natural gas pipeline. Creates provisions concerning a community benefit agreement. Provides that the Governor shall formally propose that Pembroke Township be permanently protected and preserved as part of the National Natural Landmark Program, support the requisite authorization and approval by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, and provide requisite planning funds.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4308LRB102 21452 SPS 30569 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Pembroke Township Natural Gas Investment
5Pilot Program Act is amended by adding Sections 25, 30, 35, 40,
645, 50, 55, and 60 as follows:
 
7    (220 ILCS 85/25 new)
8    Sec. 25. Prohibition on takings. None of the funds
9authorized or appropriated pursuant to this Act shall be used
10to take any of the land or personal property of any landowner
11or resident of Pembroke Township or the Village of Hopkins
12Park for the purpose of the design, construction, and
13installation of any natural gas pipeline without the express
14and written consent of the landowner or property owner.
 
15    (220 ILCS 85/30 new)
16    Sec. 30. Protection for socially disadvantaged farmers,
17ranchers, forest landowners and operators, and other concerned
18local groups and residents. In compliance and conformity with
19Section 1006 of Title 1 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
20as enacted by Congress, none of the funds authorized or
21appropriated pursuant to this Act shall be used to take or
22otherwise jeopardize any of the land or personal property of

 

 

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1any socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, forest land
2owners and operators, and groups or other residents of
3Pembroke Township or the Village of Hopkins Park and secured
4by loans from the Farm Services Agency, the U.S. Department of
5Agriculture, or any other financing provided by the federal
6government on or before January 1, 2021 for the purpose of the
7design, construction, and installation of any natural gas
8pipeline without the expressed and written consent of the
9landowner or property owner.
 
10    (220 ILCS 85/35 new)
11    Sec. 35. Public accountability and anticorruption
12safeguards.
13    (a) In furtherance of public accountability and to guard
14against any misuse of public funds, the Department or the
15Illinois Commerce Commission may:
16        (1) cancel any agreement or contract entered into
17    pursuant to this Act if it determines, with respect to any
18    agreement or contract to be financed by State funds, that
19    corrupt or fraudulent practices were engaged in by any
20    public officials and private representatives of the
21    recipient or beneficiary of the aid funds during the
22    acquisition of any related land or property, during
23    design, procurement, construction, and installation,
24    during the execution of the related agreement or contract,
25    or during the operation of any natural gas pipeline

 

 

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1    without the recipient having taken timely, transparent,
2    and appropriate action satisfactory to the Department and
3    Illinois Commerce Commission to remedy the situation;
4        (2) inspect accounts and records of realtors,
5    contractors, and suppliers relating to the performance of
6    any agreement or contract and to perform a complete audit
7    by auditors appointed by the Director of Commerce and
8    Economic Opportunity or the Chairperson of the Illinois
9    Commerce Commission; and
10        (3) bar firms from agreements or contracts financed by
11    State funds, either indefinitely or for a specified period
12    of time, if the Director of Commerce and Economic
13    Opportunity or the Chairperson of the Illinois Commerce
14    Commission determines that any party is engaged in corrupt
15    or fraudulent practices in competing for or in executing
16    an agreement or contract financed by State funds.
17    (b) Any violations of this Section shall be subject to
18applicable civil or criminal penalties, including fines or
19imprisonment.
 
20    (220 ILCS 85/40 new)
21    Sec. 40. Public participation; right to know provisions;
22and public safety, health, and ecological precautions. To
23ensure full and open public participation, to better inform
24and reassure all residents of Pembroke Township and the
25Village of Hopkins Park, and to protect the unique and

 

 

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1endangered natural ecosystem in which they live:
2        (1) the Department shall notify every household of all
3    past and pending complaints, legal claims, and regulatory
4    actions concerning public safety, health, and environment
5    and pertaining to any individual and business entity
6    entering into any agreement or bidding on any contract for
7    the design, construction, installation, or operation of
8    any natural gas pipeline pursuant to this Act, no later
9    than 45 days after the effective date of this amendatory
10    Act of the 102nd General Assembly; and
11        (2) the Illinois Commerce Commission shall require
12    every party to any agreement or contract for the design,
13    construction, installation, or operation of any natural
14    gas pipeline to fully comply with the public safety,
15    health, and environmental protection provisions of 49
16    U.S.C. 8 and corresponding rules and regulations,
17    including the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968.
 
18    (220 ILCS 85/45 new)
19    Sec. 45. Comprehensive study and report on energy policy
20development options. Prior to entering into or executing any
21agreement or contract regarding the design, construction,
22installation, or operation of any natural gas pipeline
23pursuant to this Act, the Department, the Illinois Commerce
24Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency shall
25jointly conduct a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of this

 

 

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1project and associated risks, including a thorough comparative
2evaluation of the merits and demerits of designing,
3constructing, installing, and operating any natural gas
4pipeline in Pembroke Township and the Village of Hopkins Park
5relative to solar, wind, biomass, and other options for
6providing affordable, sustainable utility services to local
7households, consumers, businesses, and industries. The
8findings, underpinning documentation, conclusions, and
9recommendations must be completed and filed as a report with
10the General Assembly and made available to the public.
 
11    (220 ILCS 85/50 new)
12    Sec. 50. Projected impact and rate estimates for local
13households, consumers, farmers, businesses, and industries.
14Prior to the approval of any certificate of public convenience
15and necessity or additional regulatory permits requested by
16any utility pursuant to this Act, the Illinois Commerce
17Commission shall do a comprehensive and comparative study of
18the projected impact and rate estimates for local households,
19consumers, businesses, farmers, and other industries from
20design, construction, installation, and operation of any
21natural gas pipeline, including, but not limited to, any
22proposed and related use of renewable natural gas supplies, in
23Pembroke Township and the Village of Hopkins Park relative to
24solar, wind, biomass, and other nonfossil fuel sourced energy
25options, including, but not limited to, consideration of best

 

 

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1practices for building decarbonization. The findings and
2underpinning economic data and analysis must be completed and
3filed as a timely report with the General Assembly and made
4available to the public.
 
5    (220 ILCS 85/55 new)
6    Sec. 55. Requirement of a community benefit agreement. To
7protect and preserve the unique natural, ecological,
8historical, and cultural heritage of Pembroke Township,
9including the Village of Hopkins Park, and to maximize the
10benefits for all residents of this vulnerable community, a
11community benefit agreement must be negotiated, approved, and
12signed jointly by a community benefit group, including
13representation of all local stakeholders who have concerns and
14who will be affected by the design, development, and
15installation of any natural gas pipeline pursuant to this Act,
16NICOR, Inc, or any other commercial developer, and the
17Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Director of
18the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chairperson of
19the Illinois Commerce Commission. This agreement shall be
20legally binding and shall take effect prior to the approval of
21any certificate of public convenience and necessity and
22additional regulatory permits requested by any utility
23pursuant to this Act and prior to the design, construction,
24and installation of any natural gas pipeline.
 

 

 

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1    (220 ILCS 85/60 new)
2    Sec. 60. Establishment of a National Natural Landmark in
3Pembroke Township. In consultation and collaboration with
4local residents and their elected representatives, the
5Governor shall formally propose that the natural history and
6irreplaceable ecological resources of Pembroke Township be
7permanently protected and preserved as a unique landscape in
8the State of Illinois and the United States as part of the
9National Natural Landmark Program, support the requisite
10authorization and approval by the U.S. Secretary of the
11Interior, and provide requisite planning funds.