House Sponsors: MAY-SLONE-HOWARD-COULSON-DAVIS,MONIQUE, FEIGENHOLTZ, SAVIANO, CURRIE, SIMPSON, ERWIN, HOEFT, COWLISHAW, WINTERS, MCKEON, CROTTY, LYONS,JOSEPH, YOUNGE AND OSTERMAN. Short description: WETLANDS PROTECTION ACT Synopsis of Bill as introduced: Creates the Wetlands Protection Act. Regulates certain activities in areas that are designated as wetlands but that are no longer protected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Establishes criteria for issuing both general and individual permits for regulated activities. Provides for permit fees and for penalties and enforcement of the Act. Creates the Wetlands Protection Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to establish the Fund. Effective immediately. HOME RULE NOTE (Department of Commerce and Community Affairs) HB 6013 states that its provisions shall not be construed as a limitation or pre-emption of any statutory or regulatory auth- ority arising under the Environmental Protection Act or Section 5-1062 of the Counties Code. Therefore, in the opinion of DCCA, HB 6013 does not limit home rule powers and functions. HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1. Deletes everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the bill as introduced with the following changes. Makes changes to the Section concerning the findings. Limits the scope of the Wetlands Protection Act. Removes the definitions and references to "county stormwater management planning committee" and "county wetlands protection body". Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency shall propose water quality standards for wetlands to the Illinois Pollution Control Board and that the Illinois Pollution Control Board shall adopt water quality standards. Removes language concerning permit fee amounts and provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall establish permit application fees by rule. Provides that the Department shall issue a general permit for regulated activities for which a permit has been obtained pursuant to a program established under specified Sections of the Counties Code and that the Department has determined equals the overall protection of wetland functions provided by the Department. Removes the Section concerning county wetland protection by regulation of wetlands. Changes the penalties for violation of the Act. FISCAL NOTE, H-AM 1 (Department of Natural Resources) The cost to the State is estimated to be in excess of $500,000 for 8 staff and support costs. One time equipment start-up costs are expected to be $85,000. It is not possible to esti- mate the revenue to be generated because of uncertainty of the volume of activity and the fees that are to be established by Administrative Rule. FISCAL NOTE, H-AM 1 (Environmental Protection Agency) HB 6013, as amended by H-am 1, will have a limited financial impact on EPA based upon the staff time that would be required. However, this impact will be spread out over a long period of time due to the deadline for the proposed rules being 2006. Therefore, IEPA believes it can implement HB 6013 with its existing resources. LAND CONVEYANCE APPRAISAL NOTE, H-AM 1 (Department of Transportation) This legislation does ont transfer any parcels of IDOT property. Therefore, there are no IDOT land conveyance appraisals associated with this legislation. STATE MANDATES NOTE, H-AM 1 (Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs) In the opinion of DCCA, HB 6013 (H-am 1) creates a service man- date for which reimbursement of 50% to 100% of the increased costs to units of local government is required under the State Mandates Act. Due to the nature of the bill, an estimate of the increased cost to units of local government cannot be deter- mined. Last action on Bill: THIRD READING/SHORT DEBATE/LOST 031-055-029 Last action date: APR-05-2002 Location: House Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 1 SENATE - 0 END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Status