95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB4986

 

Introduced , by Rep. Julie Hamos

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
30 ILCS 105/5.708 new

    Creates the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Act. Requires the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, with the consultation of the Director of Natural Resources, to establish a permit program for oceangoing vessels to prevent the discharge of aquatic invasive species into State waters of the Great Lakes. Sets standards for issuance of permits. Requires cooperation with other states, Canada, and others. Contains provisions concerning fees and fines, reporting, monitoring, and review and enforcement. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund. Provides for federal preemption. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.


LRB095 17899 BDD 43979 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4986 LRB095 17899 BDD 43979 b

1     AN ACT concerning invasive species prevention.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Act.
 
6     Section 5. Intent. It is the intent of this Act to prevent
7 the introduction and to minimize the spread of aquatic invasive
8 species within the State waters of the Great Lakes.
 
9     Section 10. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act:
10     "Agency" means the Illinois Environmental Protection
11 Agency.
12     "Aquatic invasive species" means a non-indigenous species
13 that threatens the diversity or abundance of native species or
14 the ecological stability of infested waters or threatens
15 commercial, agricultural, aquacultural, or recreational
16 activities dependent upon those waters.
17     "Department" means the Illinois Department of Natural
18 Resources.
19     "Fund" means the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund.
20     "Oceangoing vessels" means cargo ships operating outside
21 of Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and
22 their tributaries.

 

 

HB4986 - 2 - LRB095 17899 BDD 43979 b

1     "State waters of the Great Lakes" means the surface water
2 under the jurisdiction of the State of Illinois in the Great
3 Lakes and waters that discharge, flow, or otherwise are
4 transferred into the Great Lakes.
 
5     Section 15. Standards.
6     (a) On or before January 1, 2009 the Director of the Agency
7 shall, with the consultation of the Director of the Department,
8 establish a permit program for oceangoing vessels.
9     (b) On and after the effective date of the permit program,
10 no one shall operate an oceangoing vessel on the State waters
11 of the Great Lakes without possession of a permit from the
12 Agency. The permit shall require at least one of the following
13 conditions:
14         (1) Certification by the vessel operator that the
15     vessel will not discharge aquatic invasive species into the
16     State waters of the Great Lakes.
17         (2) Demonstration by the vessel operator that the
18     vessel cannot discharge ballast water.
19         (3) Demonstration that (i) the vessel is equipped with
20     environmentally sound treatment technology that can be
21     used to prevent the introduction of aquatic invasive
22     species into the State waters of the Great Lakes and (ii)
23     the treatment technology is applied to all ballast water on
24     board the vessel prior to discharge into the State waters
25     of the Great Lakes.
 

 

 

HB4986 - 3 - LRB095 17899 BDD 43979 b

1     Section 20. Cooperation. The Agency shall cooperate to the
2 fullest extent practical with other Great Lakes basin states,
3 the Canadian Great Lakes provinces, the Great Lakes panel on
4 aquatic nuisance species, the Great Lakes fishery commission,
5 the international joint commission, and the Great Lakes
6 commission to ensure development of standards for the control
7 of aquatic nuisance species that are broadly protective of the
8 waters of the State and other natural resources.
 
9     Section 25. Great Lakes aquatic invasive species
10 coalition. In order to address discharges of aquatic invasive
11 species from oceangoing vessels that damage water quality,
12 aquatic habitat, or fish or wildlife, the Agency shall
13 facilitate the formation of a Great Lakes aquatic invasive
14 species coalition. The Great Lakes aquatic invasive species
15 coalition shall be formed through an agreement entered into
16 with other states in the Great Lakes basin to implement on a
17 basin-wide basis water pollution laws that prohibit the
18 discharge of aquatic invasive species into the Great Lakes from
19 oceangoing vessels. The Agency shall seek to enter into an
20 agreement that will become effective not later than January 1,
21 2009. The Agency shall consult with the Department prior to
22 entering into this agreement. Upon entering into the agreement,
23 the Agency shall notify the Canadian Great Lakes provinces of
24 the terms of the agreement.
 

 

 

HB4986 - 4 - LRB095 17899 BDD 43979 b

1     Section 30. Fees and fines.
2     (a) The application fee for a permit under this Act shall
3 be determined by the Agency, by rule, but shall not be less
4 than $100.
5     (b) A person determined to be in violation of the standards
6 promulgated by the Agency under Section 15 of this Act is
7 subject to a fine to be determined by the Agency, but not less
8 than $25,000 per violation.
 
9     Section 35. Reporting. Any oceangoing vessel operator
10 intending to enter the State waters of the Great Lakes must
11 issue a report via fax or e-mail to the Agency at least 24
12 hours prior to any port operation in the State. The report
13 format shall be determined by the Agency and shall describe how
14 the vessel operator is complying with the permit.
 
15     Section 40. Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund. The
16 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund is created as a
17 special fund in the State treasury. The Agency shall use this
18 Fund, subject to appropriation, for the following purposes, not
19 in order of priority: (i) further prevention of aquatic
20 invasive species; (ii) further control of the spread of
21 existing aquatic invasive species; and (iii) reclamation of
22 aquatic resources injured as a result of aquatic invasive
23 species. The Agency shall deposit all moneys collected under

 

 

HB4986 - 5 - LRB095 17899 BDD 43979 b

1 this Act into the Fund. Interest generated by the Fund shall be
2 reinvested in the Fund.
 
3     Section 45. Monitoring. The Agency shall, in cooperation
4 with the Department, establish a regular inspection system to
5 ensure that the standards under this Act are being achieved.
 
6     Section 50. Review and enforcement.
7     (a) At least every 3 years beginning on December 1, 2009,
8 the Agency shall evaluate the effectiveness of the technology
9 standards promulgated under this Act in preventing the
10 introduction and minimizing the spread of aquatic invasive
11 species within the State waters of the Great Lakes. If the
12 Agency determines that the technology standards have not been
13 effective in achieving a complete prohibition on introductions
14 of new aquatic invasive species from oceangoing vessels into
15 State waters of the Great Lakes, the Agency, by rule, shall
16 promulgate revised technology standards and may promulgate
17 additional or alternative performance standards to accomplish
18 the goals of this Act.
19     (b) If federal regulations are promulgated that are at
20 least as restrictive as those described in regulations under
21 this Act, the Agency shall cease enforcement of this Act on the
22 effective date of the federal regulations.
23     (c) No later than 12 months after the effective date of
24 federal regulations that are at least as restrictive as those

 

 

HB4986 - 6 - LRB095 17899 BDD 43979 b

1 described in regulations under this Act, and every 3 years
2 thereafter, the agency shall complete a review of the
3 effectiveness of federal regulations in preventing the
4 introduction of new aquatic invasive species to the Great
5 Lakes. If, as a result of this review, the Agency determines
6 that reinstating the enforcement of this Act would be more
7 effective than the federal regulations in preventing the
8 introduction and minimizing the spread of aquatic invasive
9 species in the State waters of the Great Lakes, the Agency
10 shall reinstate enforcement of this Act.
11     (c) The Attorney General may recover damages as a result of
12 enforcement actions taken under this Act, which shall be
13 deposited into the Fund and shall be adequate for, at a
14 minimum, the reclamation of aquatic resources damaged by
15 unauthorized releases of aquatic invasive species.
 
16     Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
17 Section 5.708 as follows:
 
18     (30 ILCS 105/5.708 new)
19     Sec. 5.708. The Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund.
 
20     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
21 becoming law.