Public Act 098-0731
 
HB4716 EnrolledLRB098 18040 JLK 53169 b


  
    AN ACT concerning local government.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 5. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act 
is amended  by adding Section 56 as follows:
 
    (70 ILCS 2605/56 new)
    Sec. 56. Resource recovery.
    (a) The General Assembly finds that: 
        (1) technological advancements in wastewater treatment 
    have resulted in the ability to capture recovered resources 
    and produce renewable energy resources from material 
    previously discarded; 
        (2) the capture and beneficial reuse of recovered 
    resources and the production of renewable energy resources 
    serves a wide variety of environmental benefits including, 
    but not limited to, improved water quality, reduction of 
    greenhouse gases, reduction of carbon footprint, reduction 
    of landfill usage, reduced usage of hydrocarbon-based 
    fuels, return of nutrients to the food cycle, and reduced 
    water consumption; 
        (3) the district is a leader in the field of wastewater 
    treatment and possesses the expertise and experience 
    necessary to capture and beneficially reuse or prepare for 
    beneficial reuse  recovered resources, including renewable 
    energy resources; and 
        (4) the district has the opportunity and ability to 
    change the approach to wastewater treatment from that of a 
    waste material to be disposed of to one of a collection of 
    resources to be recovered, reused, and sold, with the 
    opportunity to provide the district with additional 
    sources of revenue and reduce operating costs. 
    (b) As used in this Section:
    "Recovered resources" means any material produced by or 
extracted from the operation of district facilities, 
including, but not limited to:
        (1) solids, including solids from the digestion 
    process, semi-solids, or liquid materials;
        (2) gases, including biogas, carbon dioxide, and 
    methane;
        (3) nutrients;
        (4) algae;
        (5) treated effluent; and
        (6) thermal energy or hydropower.
    "Renewable energy facility" shall have the same meaning as 
a facility defined under Section 5 of the Renewable Energy 
Production District Act.
    "Renewable energy resources" means resources as defined 
under Section 1-10 of the Illinois Power Agency Act.
    "Resource recovery" means the recovery of material or 
energy from waste as defined under Section 3.435 of the 
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Act.
    (c) The district may sell or otherwise dispose of recovered 
resources or renewable energy resources resulting from the 
operation of district facilities, and may construct, maintain, 
finance, and operate such activities, facilities, and other 
works as are necessary for that purpose. 
    (d) The district may take in materials which are used in 
the generation of usable products from recovered resources, or 
which increase the production of renewable energy resources, 
including, but not limited to food waste, organic fraction of 
solid waste, commercial or industrial organic wastes, fats, 
oils, and greases, and vegetable debris.
    (e) The authorizations granted to the district under this 
Section shall not be construed as modifying or limiting any 
other law or regulation. Any actions taken pursuant to the 
authorities granted in this Section must be in compliance with 
all applicable laws and regulations, including, but not limited 
to, the Environmental Protection Act, and rules adopted under 
that Act.
 
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law. 
  


Effective Date:  7/16/2014