Public Act 0074 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1042 Enrolled LRB096 09852 RLJ 20015 b

Public Act 096-0074

AN ACT concerning local government.

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

Section 5. The Green Governments Illinois Act is amended by changing Sections 15, 20, and 35 as follows:

(20 ILCS 3954/15)

Sec. 15. Composition of the Council. The Council shall be comprised of representatives from various State agencies and State universities with specific fiscal, procurement, educational, and environmental policy expertise. The Lieutenant Governor is the chair of the Council. The director or President, respectively, of each of the following State agencies and State universities, or his or her designee, is a member of the Council: the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Environmental Protection Agency, the University of Illinois, ; the Department of Natural Resources,, the Department of Central Management Services, the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Public Health, the State Board of Education, the Board of Higher Education, and the Capital Development Board. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall provide administrative support to the Council. A minimum of one staff position in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall be dedicated to the Green Governments Illinois program.

(Source: P.A. 95-657, eff. 10-10-07; 95-728, eff. date - See Sec. 999.)

(20 ILCS 3954/20)

Sec. 20. Responsibilities of the Council. The Council is responsible for the development and dissemination of programs, plans, and policies to reduce the environmental footprint of State government and for improving the implementation of greening the government initiatives in other institutions, thereby reducing costs to taxpayers and improving efficiency in operations. The Council shall convene on a quarterly basis and shall be responsible for the following:

(a) Establishing long-term environmental sustainability goals that the State will strive to achieve within a period of 3, 5, and 10 years to improve the energy and environmental performance of State buildings, consistent with efficiency and economic objectives. These goals shall, at a minimum, include the following: broad-based performance goals for energy efficiency; use of renewable fuels; water conservation; green purchasing; paper consumption; and solid waste generation. These goals can be met through increased efficiency, operational changes, and improved maintenance and use of cost-effective alternative technologies, raw materials, and fuels.

The Council shall:

(1) communicate the environmental sustainability goals to all State agencies;

(2) establish an electronic system to track and report on environmental progress;

(3) monitor improvement activities; and

(4) propose new goals as appropriate.

(b) Coordinating an awards program that recognizes units of State and local government and educational institutions for developing, adopting, and implementing innovative or exemplary environmental sustainability plans in conformance with this Act.

(c) Creating specific guidance materials for State agencies, educational institutions, and units of local government on how to integrate environmental sustainability into existing management systems, planning, and operational practices, while still providing necessary services and ensuring efficient and effective operations. These guidance materials must include a list of environmental and energy best practices, case studies, policy language, model plans, and other resource information. These materials must be made available on a website devoted to the Green Governments Illinois program.

(d) Developing and implementing, to the extent fiscally feasible, training programs designed to instill the importance and value of environmental sustainability.

(e) Providing new ways for State government to build markets for environmentally preferable products and services without compromising price, competition, and availability. The Council shall initially focus on integrated pest management, bio-based products, recycled content paper, energy efficiency, renewable energy, alternative fuel vehicles, and green cleaning supplies. Within existing resources, and within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, the Department of Central Management Services, with the approval of the council, shall designate a single point of contact for State agencies, suppliers, and other interested parties to contact regarding environmentally preferable purchasing issues.

(f) Working collaboratively with State agencies, units of local government, educational institutions, and the legislative branches of government to promote benchmarking, commissioning, and retro-commissioning to make government and institutional buildings more resource-efficient, energy efficient, and healthful public places.

(g) Reviewing budgetary policy and making recommendations to the Governor on incentives for State agencies to undertake environmental improvements that result in long-term cost-savings, productivity enhancements, or other outcomes deemed appropriate to the State's sustainability goals.

(h) Reporting annually to the Governor and the General Assembly on the results of environmental sustainability actions taken by State agencies, educational institutions and units of local government during the prior fiscal calendar year. The report must include the environmental and economic benefits of the environmental sustainability actions, where feasible, the consumption of those actions, and provide recommendations for future environmental improvement activities during the following year. The report shall be filed by September 1, 2008, and November September 1 of each subsequent year.

(h-5) Participating in the proposal review and subgrant award processes conducted by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to distribute the portion of funds eligible for State government use under the federal Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, H.R. 6, Title V, Subtitle E (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants). A designee of the Governor shall also participate in these processes, and no subgrant may be awarded unless the Governor's designee first approves that subgrant.

(i) The chairman of the Council shall determine whether or not the I-Cycle program is operating effectively and make recommendations concerning management of the I-Cycle program. The chairman has the authority to dissolve the I-Cycle program if the program is found to be ineffective.

(Source: P.A. 95-657, eff. 10-10-07.)

(20 ILCS 3954/35)

Sec. 35. Environmental Plans and Reporting.

(a) Each State agency shall submit an adopted environmental sustainability plan to the chairman of the Council for review and approval on or before April 1, 2008 November 1, 2007.

On or before November August 1, 2007, the Council shall prepare a downloadable plan template designed to provide a simple framework for the development of an environmental sustainability plan as required by this Act. The Council shall adopt procedures for reviewing and approving the plans, and make staff available during preparation of the plans to assist State agencies with their plan-writing efforts. The Council shall complete its plan review process on or before June January 1, 2008. The sustainability plans shall be reviewed and updated periodically, but at least once every 3 years. Units To the extent feasible and cost-effective, units of local government and , educational institutions, and State agencies are encouraged to submit adopt and implement similar sustainability plans. Environmental sustainability plans may be submitted to the chairman of the Council, by request, for review and approval.

(b) On or before January 1, 2008 August 1, 2007, each State agency, using existing resources, shall form an internal environmental sustainability committee. The environmental sustainability committee shall (i) assess the environmental and resource use impacts of its major operational activities making environmental improvements, conserving resources, and reducing health risks; (ii) develop an environmental sustainability plan as required under this Act; and (iii) establish an ongoing process through which their sustainability efforts can be reviewed and improved upon. The committee shall focus on the most significant environmental and resource use impacts, examine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of addressing these impacts, and prioritize their actions accordingly.

Where feasible, the committee shall quantify the specific impacts of major operational activities such as gallons of water used, pounds of solid waste generated, gallons of gasoline consumed, and dollars spent per year on electricity. The committee shall consist of representatives from different departments and program areas, including purchasing, maintenance, and facility management. A senior member of management shall be designated to coordinate environmental sustainability efforts of each committee. The coordinator shall provide information to agency facilities and staff, coordinate planning and reporting activities, and act as liaison to the Council. Where appropriate, State agencies may appoint facility coordinators in addition to the agency coordinator. Coordinators shall be given full management support and provided with the necessary resources to meet the goals of this Act.

(c) On or before July April 1, 2008 and on or before September April 1 of each subsequent year, each State agency shall submit to the chairman of the Council a report summarizing the progress made in implementing its environmental sustainability plan, including sustainability measures adopted and goals achieved. The information in this report shall encompass the previous fiscal calendar year.

On or before June January 1, 2008, the Council shall develop and adopt a reporting form to be used to comply with the provisions of this Section. Participating units of local government, State agencies, and educational institutions are encouraged to must submit an annual progress report on or before September June 1, 2008 and on or before June 1 of each subsequent year.

(d) State agencies shall be invited to participate in the Council's efforts to foster environmental sustainability practices throughout State government.

(e) The Council shall provide technical assistance to State agencies, units of local government, and educational institutions for the purpose of implementing the environmental sustainability planning requirement.

(f) The Council may establish criteria for exempting select State agencies from the environmental sustainability planning based on staff size, probable environmental impacts, and scope of operations.

(Source: P.A. 95-657, eff. 10-10-07.)

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