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1 | AN ACT concerning dams.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Rivers, Lakes, and Streams Act is amended by | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | changing Section 23a as follows:
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6 | (615 ILCS 5/23a) (from Ch. 19, par. 70a)
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7 | Sec. 23a. The Department is authorized to carry out | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | inspections of any
dam within the State, and to establish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | standards and issue permits for the
safe construction of new | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | dams and the reconstruction, repair, operation
and maintenance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | of all existing dams. If any inspection carried out
by the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | Department or by a federal agency in which the Department | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | concurs
determines that a dam is in an unsafe condition, the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | Department shall
so notify the appropriate public officials of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | the affected city or county,
the State's Attorney of the county | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | in which the dam is located, and the
Illinois Emergency | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | Management Agency.
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18 | The Department may compel the installation of fishways in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | dams wherever
deemed necessary.
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20 | The Department may establish by rule minimum water levels | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | for water behind
dams on streams and rivers as necessary to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | preserve the fish and other aquatic
life and to safeguard the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | health of the community.
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1 | Upon a determination of the Department that a dam | ||||||
2 | constitutes a serious
threat to life or a threat of substantial | ||||||
3 | property damage, the Department
may issue orders to require | ||||||
4 | changes in the structure or its operation or
maintenance | ||||||
5 | necessary for proper control of water levels at normal stages
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6 | and for the disposal of flood waters and for the protection of | ||||||
7 | navigation
and any persons or property situated downstream from | ||||||
8 | the dam or to otherwise
remove the threat provided, however, | ||||||
9 | that no existing dam, based solely
upon the enactment by any | ||||||
10 | governmental unit of any new rule, regulation,
ordinance, law, | ||||||
11 | or other requirement passed after the construction of the
dam, | ||||||
12 | shall be deemed to constitute a serious threat to life or a | ||||||
13 | threat of
substantial property damage if it was designed and | ||||||
14 | constructed under a
permit from the State of Illinois in | ||||||
15 | conformance with all applicable
standards existing at the time | ||||||
16 | of its construction and is in good repair.
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17 | The Department shall be required, prior to taking any | ||||||
18 | action to compel
alteration or breaching of any dam, to furnish | ||||||
19 | in writing to the owner of
the dam (1) a detailed and specific | ||||||
20 | list of defects discovered in the course
of inspection of the | ||||||
21 | dam, including the specific nature of any inadequacies
in the | ||||||
22 | capacity of the spillway system and any indications of seepage, | ||||||
23 | erosion,
or other evidence of structural deficiency in the dam | ||||||
24 | or spillway; and (2)
a statement of the applicable standards | ||||||
25 | that if complied with by the owner
of the dam would put the dam | ||||||
26 | into compliance with the State's requirements.
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1 | No order shall be issued requiring alteration of any | ||||||
2 | existing dam until after
notice and opportunity for hearing has | ||||||
3 | been provided by the Department to the
dam owners. If the owner | ||||||
4 | or owners of the dam are unknown, notice will be
provided by | ||||||
5 | publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county | ||||||
6 | in
which the structure is located. Any order issued under this | ||||||
7 | Section shall
include a statement of the findings supporting | ||||||
8 | the order.
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9 | Opportunity for hearing is not required in emergency | ||||||
10 | situations when the
Department finds there is imminent hazard | ||||||
11 | to personal public safety of people.
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12 | The Department may enforce the provisions of this Section | ||||||
13 | and of rules
and orders issued hereunder by injunction or other
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14 | appropriate action.
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15 | Neither the Department of Natural Resources nor
employees | ||||||
16 | or agents of the Department shall be liable for damages | ||||||
17 | sustained
through the partial or total failure of any dam or | ||||||
18 | the operation or maintenance
of any dam by reason of the | ||||||
19 | Department's regulation thereof. Nothing in this
Act shall | ||||||
20 | relieve an owner or operator of a dam from the legal duties,
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21 | obligations, and liabilities arising from ownership or | ||||||
22 | operation.
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23 | The Department shall review and update its operations | ||||||
24 | manuals for the Algonquin Dam and the William G. Stratton Lock | ||||||
25 | and Dam on an annual basis. | ||||||
26 | (Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)
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