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| Public Act 098-0731 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning local government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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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.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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