Full Text of HR0389 94th General Assembly
HR0389 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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HR0389 |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The group of pollutants known as persistent, | 3 |
| bioaccumulative, and toxic substances, or "PBTs", are highly | 4 |
| toxic, long-lasting, and build up in the food chain to levels | 5 |
| that can pose risks to human and ecosystem health; mercury, | 6 |
| dioxin, PCBs, and lead are examples of PBTs; and
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| WHEREAS, Exposure to PBTs has been associated with a range | 8 |
| of adverse health effects, including effects on the nervous | 9 |
| system, reproductive and development problems, cancer, and | 10 |
| hormonal disruption and may pose particular risks to young | 11 |
| children and developing fetuses because critical organs, such | 12 |
| as the brain, central nervous system, and eyes, are still under | 13 |
| development; and
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| WHEREAS, A wide range of conditions and activities may | 15 |
| produce and release PBTs into Illinois' environment, including | 16 |
| industrial processes, various consumer products, the presence | 17 |
| of pesticides and PCBs in sediments, and the use of vehicles | 18 |
| powered by internal combustion engines; and | 19 |
| WHEREAS, The American Public Health Association, the | 20 |
| United Nations' Environmental Program, and the International | 21 |
| Joint Commission of the United States and Canadian governments | 22 |
| have agreed upon the benefits of reducing certain PBTs in the | 23 |
| environment; and | 24 |
| WHEREAS, PBTs are particularly problematic for | 25 |
| environmental protection efforts because of their ability to | 26 |
| travel long distances in the atmosphere, move readily from land | 27 |
| to air and water, and linger for generations in people and the | 28 |
| environment; and | 29 |
| WHEREAS, Progress has been made to reduce individual uses, | 30 |
| releases, and environmental concentrations of several PBTs, |
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| but current programs do not fully address the comprehensive | 2 |
| challenge presented by PBTs and their potential for cross-media | 3 |
| impacts; therefore, be it | 4 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 5 |
| NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 6 |
| we urge the Environmental Protection Agency to develop for | 7 |
| review by the General Assembly a strategy to address the risks | 8 |
| of PBTs to human health and the environment for PBTs used, | 9 |
| released, and disposed of in Illinois. This strategy shall | 10 |
| include, but not be limited to, the following: | 11 |
| (1) Designation of an initial list of priority PBT's | 12 |
| for targeted action in Illinois, including an explanation | 13 |
| of why each PBT has been selected to the priority list. | 14 |
| (2) Using available information, a description of what | 15 |
| activities generate the priority PBTs that may be present | 16 |
| in the environment of Illinois. | 17 |
| (3) Identification of the policies and strategies that | 18 |
| present the best potential for cleaning up, controlling, | 19 |
| and where possible, preventing releases of priority PBTs, | 20 |
| taking into account both regulatory and non-regulatory | 21 |
| tools. | 22 |
| (4) Procedures to coordinate planning among agency | 23 |
| programs to address cross-media effects of priority PBTs | 24 |
| and encourage the development of innovative reduction | 25 |
| strategies. | 26 |
| (5) Identification of informational systems, | 27 |
| decision-making tools, and resource requirements needed to | 28 |
| make informed decisions on measures to reduce priority | 29 |
| PBTs. | 30 |
| (6) Development of measurable indicators to track | 31 |
| priority PBT reduction successes and failures; and be it | 32 |
| further
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| RESOLVED, That, in developing the PBT strategy, the | 34 |
| Environmental Protection Agency shall convene at least 2 public |
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| meetings to solicit comments from the businesses community, | 2 |
| local governments, citizens, environmental groups, | 3 |
| researchers, and others; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That the Environmental Protection Agency shall | 5 |
| submit the PBT strategy to the House of Representatives | 6 |
| Environmental Health Committee for its consideration during | 7 |
| the 2006 legislative session; and be it further | 8 |
| RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be delivered to | 9 |
| the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency.
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