HB0516 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 06774 CMK 26890 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB0516

Introduced 2/1/2007, by Rep. Careen M Gordon

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

415 ILCS 5/13.6

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that within 24 hours after an unpermitted release of a contaminant (now radionuclide) from a nuclear power plant, the owner or operator of the nuclear power plant where the release occurred shall report the release to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. Removes a provision allowing self-inspection by the owner or operator of the nuclear power plant in lieu of the inspections required by this Section. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning safety.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

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

(415 ILCS 5/13.6)

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

(a) The purpose of this Section is to require the detection and reporting of unpermitted releases of any contaminants 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 any rule adopted under this Section.

(c) Within 24 hours after an unpermitted release of a contaminant radionuclide 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 and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. For purposes of this Section, "unpermitted release of a contaminant radionuclide" means any spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, escaping, leaching, or disposing of a contaminant radionuclide into groundwater, surface water, or soil that is not permitted under State or federal law or regulation.

(d) The Agency and the Illinois Emergency Management 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 calendar quarter. 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, in consultation with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, shall propose rules to the Board prescribing standards for detecting and reporting unpermitted releases of contaminants 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 radionuclides. Rules adopted under this subsection may also include standards for self-inspection by the owner or operator of the nuclear power plant in lieu of the inspections required under subsection (d) of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 94-849, eff. 6-12-06.)

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