HB1620ham001 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Careen M Gordon

Filed: 2/28/2006

09400HB1620ham001 LRB094 02868 RSP 56392 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1620

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 1620 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Environmental Protection Act is amended by adding Section 13.6 as follows:

(415 ILCS 5/13.6 new)

Sec. 13.6. Release of contaminants at nuclear power plants.

(a) The purpose of this Section is to require the detection and reporting of unpermitted releases of contaminants (including, but not limited to, tritium or other radionuclides) into groundwater, surface water, or soil at nuclear power plants to the extent that federal law or regulation does not preempt such requirements.

(b) No owner or operator of a nuclear power plant shall violate this Section or any rules adopted under this Section.

(c) Within 24 hours after an unpermitted release of a contaminant from a nuclear power plant, the owner or operator of the nuclear power plant where the release occurred shall report the release to the Agency. For purposes of this Section, "unpermitted release" means any spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, escaping, leaching, or disposing of an contaminant into groundwater, surface water, or soil that is not permitted under State or federal law or regulation.

(d) The Agency shall inspect each nuclear power plant for compliance with the requirements of this Section and rules adopted pursuant to this Section no less than once each quarter every calendar year. Nothing in this Section shall limit the Agency's authority to make inspections under Section 4 or any other provision of this Act.

(e) No later than one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, the Agency shall propose rules to the Board prescribing standards for detecting and reporting unpermitted releases of contaminants at nuclear power plants (including, but not limited to, tritium or other radionuclides). No later than one year after receipt of the Agency's proposal, the Board shall adopt rules prescribing standards for detecting and reporting unpermitted releases of contaminants at nuclear power plants (including, but not limited to, tritium or other radionuclides). Rules adopted under this subsection may also include standards for self-monitoring by the owner or operator of the nuclear power plant.

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