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91_HB3171
LRB9109458ACtm
1 AN ACT to amend the Environmental Protection Act by
2 changing Section 4.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 5. The Environmental Protection Act is amended
6 by changing Section 4 as follows:
7 (415 ILCS 5/4) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1004)
8 Sec. 4. Environmental Protection Agency; establishment;
9 duties.
10 (a) There is established in the Executive Branch of the
11 State Government an agency to be known as the Environmental
12 Protection Agency. This Agency shall be under the supervision
13 and direction of a Director who shall be appointed by the
14 Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The term
15 of office of the Director shall expire on the third Monday of
16 January in odd numbered years provided that he shall hold his
17 office until his successor is appointed and qualified. The
18 Director shall receive an annual salary as set by the
19 Governor from time to time or as set by the Compensation
20 Review Board, whichever is greater. If set by the Governor,
21 the Director's annual salary may not exceed 85% of the
22 Governor's annual salary. The Director, in accord with the
23 Personnel Code, shall employ and direct such personnel, and
24 shall provide for such laboratory and other facilities, as
25 may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. In
26 addition, the Director may by agreement secure such services
27 as he may deem necessary from any other department, agency,
28 or unit of the State Government, and may employ and
29 compensate such consultants and technical assistants as may
30 be required.
31 (b) The Agency shall have the duty to collect and
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1 disseminate such information, acquire such technical data,
2 and conduct such experiments as may be required to carry out
3 the purposes of this Act, including ascertainment of the
4 quantity and nature of discharges from any contaminant source
5 and data on those sources, and to operate and arrange for the
6 operation of devices for the monitoring of environmental
7 quality.
8 (c) The Agency shall have authority to conduct a program
9 of continuing surveillance and of regular or periodic
10 inspection of actual or potential contaminant or noise
11 sources, of public water supplies, and of refuse disposal
12 sites.
13 (d) In accordance with constitutional limitations, the
14 Agency shall have authority to enter at all reasonable times
15 upon any private or public property for the purpose of:
16 (1) Inspecting and investigating to ascertain
17 possible violations of the Act or of regulations
18 thereunder, or of permits or terms or conditions
19 thereof.;or
20 (2) In accordance with the provisions of this Act,
21 taking whatever preventive or corrective action,
22 including but not limited to removal or remedial action,
23 that is necessary or appropriate whenever there is a
24 release or a substantial threat of a release of (A) a
25 hazardous substance or pesticide or (B) petroleum from an
26 underground storage tank.
27 (3) Inspecting or investigating possible violations
28 of this Act or regulations thereunder on agricultural
29 land or facilities used for agricultural purposes. The
30 Agency shall use the following procedures:
31 (A) The owner or operator of the agricultural
32 land or facilities must be notified of the details
33 of the need for the inspection or investigation.
34 (B) The person making the inspection or
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1 investigation shall (i) provide on-site written
2 details to the owner or operator of any purported
3 violation with specific cites of the environmental
4 law or regulations and procedures conducted
5 thereunder; and (ii) the owner or operator shall be
6 given the opportunity by the Agency to enter into an
7 agreement of compliance setting forth the specific
8 action and timetable to correct the violation before
9 further enforcement action is taken.
10 (C) The person making any inspection or
11 investigation shall comply with reasonable animal or
12 safety protection procedures as requested by the
13 owner or operator.
14 (e) The Agency shall have the duty to investigate
15 violations of this Act or of regulations adopted thereunder,
16 or of permits or terms or conditions thereof, to issue
17 administrative citations as provided in Section 31.1 of this
18 Act, and to take such summary enforcement action as is
19 provided for by Section 34 of this Act.
20 (f) The Agency shall appear before the Board in any
21 hearing upon a petition for variance, the denial of a permit,
22 or the validity or effect of a rule or regulation of the
23 Board, and shall have the authority to appear before the
24 Board in any hearing under the Act.
25 (g) The Agency shall have the duty to administer, in
26 accord with Title X of this Act, such permit and
27 certification systems as may be established by this Act or by
28 regulations adopted thereunder. The Agency may enter into
29 written delegation agreements with any department, agency, or
30 unit of State or local government under which all or portions
31 of this duty may be delegated for public water supply storage
32 and transport systems, sewage collection and transport
33 systems, air pollution control sources with uncontrolled
34 emissions of 100 tons per year or less and application of
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1 algicides to waters of the State. Such delegation agreements
2 will require that the work to be performed thereunder will be
3 in accordance with Agency criteria, subject to Agency review,
4 and shall include such financial and program auditing by the
5 Agency as may be required.
6 (h) The Agency shall have authority to require the
7 submission of complete plans and specifications from any
8 applicant for a permit required by this Act or by regulations
9 thereunder, and to require the submission of such reports
10 regarding actual or potential violations of the Act or of
11 regulations thereunder, or of permits or terms or conditions
12 thereof, as may be necessary for purposes of this Act.
13 (i) The Agency shall have authority to make
14 recommendations to the Board for the adoption of regulations
15 under Title VII of the Act.
16 (j) The Agency shall have the duty to represent the
17 State of Illinois in any and all matters pertaining to plans,
18 procedures, or negotiations for interstate compacts or other
19 governmental arrangements relating to environmental
20 protection.
21 (k) The Agency shall have the authority to accept,
22 receive, and administer on behalf of the State any grants,
23 gifts, loans, indirect cost reimbursements, or other funds
24 made available to the State from any source for purposes of
25 this Act or for air or water pollution control, public water
26 supply, solid waste disposal, noise abatement, or other
27 environmental protection activities, surveys, or programs.
28 Any federal funds received by the Agency pursuant to this
29 subsection shall be deposited in a trust fund with the State
30 Treasurer and held and disbursed by him in accordance with
31 Treasurer as Custodian of Funds Act, provided that such
32 monies shall be used only for the purposes for which they are
33 contributed and any balance remaining shall be returned to
34 the contributor.
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1 The Agency is authorized to promulgate such regulations
2 and enter into such contracts as it may deem necessary for
3 carrying out the provisions of this subsection.
4 (l) The Agency is hereby designated as water pollution
5 agency for the state for all purposes of the Federal Water
6 Pollution Control Act, as amended; as implementing agency for
7 the State for all purposes of the Safe Drinking Water Act,
8 Public Law 93-523, as now or hereafter amended, except
9 Section 1425 of that Act; as air pollution agency for the
10 state for all purposes of the Clean Air Act of 1970, Public
11 Law 91-604, approved December 31, 1970, as amended; and as
12 solid waste agency for the state for all purposes of the
13 Solid Waste Disposal Act, Public Law 89-272, approved October
14 20, 1965, and amended by the Resource Recovery Act of 1970,
15 Public Law 91-512, approved October 26, 1970, as amended, and
16 amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of
17 1976, (P.L. 94-580) approved October 21, 1976, as amended; as
18 noise control agency for the state for all purposes of the
19 Noise Control Act of 1972, Public Law 92-574, approved
20 October 27, 1972, as amended; and as implementing agency for
21 the State for all purposes of the Comprehensive Environmental
22 Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (P.L.
23 96-510), as amended; and otherwise as pollution control
24 agency for the State pursuant to federal laws integrated with
25 the foregoing laws, for financing purposes or otherwise. The
26 Agency is hereby authorized to take all action necessary or
27 appropriate to secure to the State the benefits of such
28 federal Acts, provided that the Agency shall transmit to the
29 United States without change any standards adopted by the
30 Pollution Control Board pursuant to Section 5(c) of this Act.
31 This subsection (l) of Section 4 shall not be construed to
32 bar or prohibit the Environmental Protection Trust Fund
33 Commission from accepting, receiving, and administering on
34 behalf of the State any grants, gifts, loans or other funds
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1 for which the Commission is eligible pursuant to the
2 Environmental Protection Trust Fund Act. The Agency is hereby
3 designated as the State agency for all purposes of
4 administering the requirements of Section 313 of the federal
5 Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986.
6 Any municipality, sanitary district, or other political
7 subdivision, or any Agency of the State or interstate Agency,
8 which makes application for loans or grants under such
9 federal Acts shall notify the Agency of such application; the
10 Agency may participate in proceedings under such federal
11 Acts.
12 (m) The Agency shall have authority, consistent with
13 Section 5(c) and other provisions of this Act, and for
14 purposes of Section 303(e) of the Federal Water Pollution
15 Control Act, as now or hereafter amended, to engage in
16 planning processes and activities and to develop plans in
17 cooperation with units of local government, state agencies
18 and officers, and other appropriate persons in connection
19 with the jurisdiction or duties of each such unit, agency,
20 officer or person. Public hearings shall be held on the
21 planning process, at which any person shall be permitted to
22 appear and be heard, pursuant to procedural regulations
23 promulgated by the Agency.
24 (n) In accordance with the powers conferred upon the
25 Agency by Sections 10(g), 13(b), 19, 22(d) and 25 of this
26 Act, the Agency shall have authority to establish and enforce
27 minimum standards for the operation of laboratories relating
28 to analyses and laboratory tests for air pollution, water
29 pollution, noise emissions, contaminant discharges onto land
30 and sanitary, chemical, and mineral quality of water
31 distributed by a public water supply. The Agency may enter
32 into formal working agreements with other departments or
33 agencies of state government under which all or portions of
34 this authority may be delegated to the cooperating department
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1 or agency.
2 (o) The Agency shall have the authority to issue
3 certificates of competency to persons and laboratories
4 meeting the minimum standards established by the Agency in
5 accordance with Section 4(n) of this Act and to promulgate
6 and enforce regulations relevant to the issuance and use of
7 such certificates. The Agency may enter into formal working
8 agreements with other departments or agencies of state
9 government under which all or portions of this authority may
10 be delegated to the cooperating department or agency.
11 (p) Except as provided in Section 17.7, the Agency shall
12 have the duty to analyze samples as required from each public
13 water supply to determine compliance with the contaminant
14 levels specified by the Pollution Control Board. The maximum
15 number of samples which the Agency shall be required to
16 analyze for microbiological quality shall be 6 per month, but
17 the Agency may, at its option, analyze a larger number each
18 month for any supply. Results of sample analyses for
19 additional required bacteriological testing, turbidity,
20 residual chlorine and radionuclides are to be provided to the
21 Agency in accordance with Section 19. Owners of water
22 supplies may enter into agreements with the Agency to provide
23 for reduced Agency participation in sample analyses.
24 (q) The Agency shall have the authority to provide
25 notice to any person who may be liable pursuant to Section
26 22.2(f) of this Act for a release or a substantial threat of
27 a release of a hazardous substance or pesticide. Such notice
28 shall include the identified response action and an
29 opportunity for such person to perform the response action.
30 (r) The Agency may enter into written delegation
31 agreements with any unit of local government under which it
32 may delegate all or portions of its inspecting, investigating
33 and enforcement functions. Such delegation agreements shall
34 require that work performed thereunder be in accordance with
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1 Agency criteria and subject to Agency review. Notwithstanding
2 any other provision of law to the contrary, no unit of local
3 government shall be liable for any injury resulting from the
4 exercise of its authority pursuant to such a delegation
5 agreement unless the injury is proximately caused by the
6 willful and wanton negligence of an agent or employee of the
7 unit of local government, and any policy of insurance
8 coverage issued to a unit of local government may provide for
9 the denial of liability and the nonpayment of claims based
10 upon injuries for which the unit of local government is not
11 liable pursuant to this subsection (r).
12 (s) The Agency shall have authority to take whatever
13 preventive or corrective action is necessary or appropriate,
14 including but not limited to expenditure of monies
15 appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund and the Build
16 Illinois Purposes Fund for removal or remedial action,
17 whenever any hazardous substance or pesticide is released or
18 there is a substantial threat of such a release into the
19 environment. The State, the Director, and any State employee
20 shall be indemnified for any damages or injury arising out of
21 or resulting from any action taken under this subsection.
22 The Director of the Agency is authorized to enter into such
23 contracts and agreements as are necessary to carry out the
24 Agency's duties under this subsection.
25 (t) The Agency shall have authority to distribute
26 grants, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, for
27 financing and construction of municipal wastewater
28 facilities. With respect to all monies appropriated from the
29 Build Illinois Bond Fund and the Build Illinois Purposes Fund
30 for wastewater facility grants, the Agency shall make
31 distributions in conformity with the rules and regulations
32 established pursuant to the Anti-Pollution Bond Act, as now
33 or hereafter amended.
34 (u) Pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure
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1 Act, the Agency shall have the authority to adopt such rules
2 as are necessary or appropriate for the Agency to implement
3 Section 31.1 of this Act.
4 (v) (Blank)
5 (w) Neither the State, nor the Director, nor the Board,
6 nor any State employee shall be liable for any damages or
7 injury arising out of or resulting from any action taken
8 under subsection (s) or subsection (v).
9 (x)(1) The Agency shall have authority to distribute
10 grants, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, to
11 units of local government for financing and construction of
12 public water supply facilities. With respect to all monies
13 appropriated from the Build Illinois Bond Fund or the Build
14 Illinois Purposes Fund for public water supply grants, such
15 grants shall be made in accordance with rules promulgated by
16 the Agency. Such rules shall include a requirement for a
17 local match of 30% of the total project cost for projects
18 funded through such grants.
19 (2) The Agency shall not terminate a grant to a unit of
20 local government for the financing and construction of public
21 water supply facilities unless and until the Agency adopts
22 rules that set forth precise and complete standards, pursuant
23 to Section 5-20 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act,
24 for the termination of such grants. The Agency shall not
25 make determinations on whether specific grant conditions are
26 necessary to ensure the integrity of a project or on whether
27 subagreements shall be awarded, with respect to grants for
28 the financing and construction of public water supply
29 facilities, unless and until the Agency adopts rules that set
30 forth precise and complete standards, pursuant to Section
31 5-20 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, for making
32 such determinations. The Agency shall not issue a stop-work
33 order in relation to such grants unless and until the Agency
34 adopts precise and complete standards, pursuant to Section
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1 5-20 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, for
2 determining whether to issue a stop-work order.
3 (y) The Agency shall have authority to release any
4 person from further responsibility for preventive or
5 corrective action under this Act following successful
6 completion of preventive or corrective action undertaken by
7 such person upon written request by the person.
8 (Source: P.A. 91-25, eff. 6-9-99.)
9 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10 becoming law.