102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB5750

 

Introduced 11/16/2022, by Rep. Keith R. Wheeler - Jay Hoffman - Tim Butler - LaToya Greenwood - Katie Stuart, et al.

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
415 ILCS 5/9.15

    Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In provisions concerning greenhouse gases, removes language requiring (1) all EGUs and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that use coal as a fuel and are public GHG-emitting units to permanently reduce CO2e emissions to zero no later than December 31, 2045, (2) any source or plant with such units to reduce their CO2e emissions by 45% from existing emissions by no later than January 1, 2035, and, (3) if the emissions reduction requirement is not achieved by December 31, 2035, the plant to retire one or more units or otherwise reduce its CO2e emissions by 45% from existing emissions by June 30, 2038. Provides that all EGUs and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that use coal as a fuel and are public GHG-emitting units shall permanently reduce CO2e emissions to zero no later than December 31, 2045.


LRB102 27048 CPF 39049 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5750LRB102 27048 CPF 39049 b

1    AN ACT concerning safety.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Environmental Protection Act is amended by
5changing Section 9.15 as follows:
 
6    (415 ILCS 5/9.15)
7    Sec. 9.15. Greenhouse gases.
8    (a) An air pollution construction permit shall not be
9required due to emissions of greenhouse gases if the
10equipment, site, or source is not subject to regulation, as
11defined by 40 CFR 52.21, as now or hereafter amended, for
12greenhouse gases or is otherwise not addressed in this Section
13or by the Board in regulations for greenhouse gases. These
14exemptions do not relieve an owner or operator from the
15obligation to comply with other applicable rules or
16regulations.
17    (b) An air pollution operating permit shall not be
18required due to emissions of greenhouse gases if the
19equipment, site, or source is not subject to regulation, as
20defined by Section 39.5 of this Act, for greenhouse gases or is
21otherwise not addressed in this Section or by the Board in
22regulations for greenhouse gases. These exemptions do not
23relieve an owner or operator from the obligation to comply

 

 

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1with other applicable rules or regulations.
2    (c) (Blank).
3    (d) (Blank).
4    (e) (Blank).
5    (f) As used in this Section:
6    "Carbon dioxide emission" means the plant annual CO2 total
7output emission as measured by the United States Environmental
8Protection Agency in its Emissions & Generation Resource
9Integrated Database (eGrid), or its successor.
10    "Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions" or "CO2e" means the
11sum total of the mass amount of emissions in tons per year,
12calculated by multiplying the mass amount of each of the 6
13greenhouse gases specified in Section 3.207, in tons per year,
14by its associated global warming potential as set forth in 40
15CFR 98, subpart A, table A-1 or its successor, and then adding
16them all together.
17    "Cogeneration" or "combined heat and power" refers to any
18system that, either simultaneously or sequentially, produces
19electricity and useful thermal energy from a single fuel
20source.
21    "Copollutants" refers to the 6 criteria pollutants that
22have been identified by the United States Environmental
23Protection Agency pursuant to the Clean Air Act.
24    "Electric generating unit" or "EGU" means a fossil
25fuel-fired stationary boiler, combustion turbine, or combined
26cycle system that serves a generator that has a nameplate

 

 

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1capacity greater than 25 MWe and produces electricity for
2sale.
3    "Environmental justice community" means the definition of
4that term based on existing methodologies and findings, used
5and as may be updated by the Illinois Power Agency and its
6program administrator in the Illinois Solar for All Program.
7    "Equity investment eligible community" or "eligible
8community" means the geographic areas throughout Illinois that
9would most benefit from equitable investments by the State
10designed to combat discrimination and foster sustainable
11economic growth. Specifically, eligible community means the
12following areas:
13        (1) areas where residents have been historically
14    excluded from economic opportunities, including
15    opportunities in the energy sector, as defined as R3 areas
16    pursuant to Section 10-40 of the Cannabis Regulation and
17    Tax Act; and
18        (2) areas where residents have been historically
19    subject to disproportionate burdens of pollution,
20    including pollution from the energy sector, as established
21    by environmental justice communities as defined by the
22    Illinois Power Agency pursuant to the Illinois Power
23    Agency Act, excluding any racial or ethnic indicators.
24    "Equity investment eligible person" or "eligible person"
25means the persons who would most benefit from equitable
26investments by the State designed to combat discrimination and

 

 

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1foster sustainable economic growth. Specifically, eligible
2person means the following people:
3        (1) persons whose primary residence is in an equity
4    investment eligible community;
5        (2) persons whose primary residence is in a
6    municipality, or a county with a population under 100,000,
7    where the closure of an electric generating unit or mine
8    has been publicly announced or the electric generating
9    unit or mine is in the process of closing or closed within
10    the last 5 years;
11        (3) persons who are graduates of or currently enrolled
12    in the foster care system; or
13        (4) persons who were formerly incarcerated.
14    "Existing emissions" means:
15        (1) for CO2e, the total average tons-per-year of CO2e
16    emitted by the EGU or large GHG-emitting unit either in
17    the years 2018 through 2020 or, if the unit was not yet in
18    operation by January 1, 2018, in the first 3 full years of
19    that unit's operation; and
20        (2) for any copollutant, the total average
21    tons-per-year of that copollutant emitted by the EGU or
22    large GHG-emitting unit either in the years 2018 through
23    2020 or, if the unit was not yet in operation by January 1,
24    2018, in the first 3 full years of that unit's operation.
25    "Green hydrogen" means a power plant technology in which
26an EGU creates electric power exclusively from electrolytic

 

 

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1hydrogen, in a manner that produces zero carbon and
2copollutant emissions, using hydrogen fuel that is
3electrolyzed using a 100% renewable zero carbon emission
4energy source.
5    "Large greenhouse gas-emitting unit" or "large
6GHG-emitting unit" means a unit that is an electric generating
7unit or other fossil fuel-fired unit that itself has a
8nameplate capacity or serves a generator that has a nameplate
9capacity greater than 25 MWe and that produces electricity,
10including, but not limited to, coal-fired, coal-derived,
11oil-fired, natural gas-fired, and cogeneration units.
12    "NOx emission rate" means the plant annual NOx total output
13emission rate as measured by the United States Environmental
14Protection Agency in its Emissions & Generation Resource
15Integrated Database (eGrid), or its successor, in the most
16recent year for which data is available.
17    "Public greenhouse gas-emitting units" or "public
18GHG-emitting unit" means large greenhouse gas-emitting units,
19including EGUs, that are wholly owned, directly or indirectly,
20by one or more municipalities, municipal corporations, joint
21municipal electric power agencies, electric cooperatives, or
22other governmental or nonprofit entities, whether organized
23and created under the laws of Illinois or another state.
24    "SO2 emission rate" means the "plant annual SO2 total
25output emission rate" as measured by the United States
26Environmental Protection Agency in its Emissions & Generation

 

 

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1Resource Integrated Database (eGrid), or its successor, in the
2most recent year for which data is available.
3    (g) All EGUs and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that
4use coal or oil as a fuel and are not public GHG-emitting units
5shall permanently reduce all CO2e and copollutant emissions to
6zero no later than January 1, 2030.
7    (h) (Blank). All EGUs and large greenhouse gas-emitting
8units that use coal as a fuel and are public GHG-emitting units
9shall permanently reduce CO2e emissions to zero no later than
10December 31, 2045. Any source or plant with such units must
11also reduce their CO2e emissions by 45% from existing
12emissions by no later than January 1, 2035. If the emissions
13reduction requirement is not achieved by December 31, 2035,
14the plant shall retire one or more units or otherwise reduce
15its CO2e emissions by 45% from existing emissions by June 30,
162038.
17    (h-5) All EGUs and large greenhouse gas-emitting units
18that use coal as a fuel and are public GHG-emitting units shall
19permanently reduce CO2e emissions to zero no later than
20December 31, 2045.
21    (i) All EGUs and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that
22use gas as a fuel and are not public GHG-emitting units shall
23permanently reduce all CO2e and copollutant emissions to zero,
24including through unit retirement or the use of 100% green
25hydrogen or other similar technology that is commercially
26proven to achieve zero carbon emissions, according to the

 

 

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1following:
2        (1) No later than January 1, 2030: all EGUs and large
3    greenhouse gas-emitting units that have a NOx emissions
4    rate of greater than 0.12 lbs/MWh or a SO2 emission rate of
5    greater than 0.006 lb/MWh, and are located in or within 3
6    miles of an environmental justice community designated as
7    of January 1, 2021 or an equity investment eligible
8    community.
9        (2) No later than January 1, 2040: all EGUs and large
10    greenhouse gas-emitting units that have a NOx emission
11    rate of greater than 0.12 lbs/MWh or a SO2 emission rate
12    greater than 0.006 lb/MWh, and are not located in or
13    within 3 miles of an environmental justice community
14    designated as of January 1, 2021 or an equity investment
15    eligible community. After January 1, 2035, each such EGU
16    and large greenhouse gas-emitting unit shall reduce its
17    CO2e emissions by at least 50% from its existing emissions
18    for CO2e, and shall be limited in operation to, on average,
19    6 hours or less per day, measured over a calendar year, and
20    shall not run for more than 24 consecutive hours except in
21    emergency conditions, as designated by a Regional
22    Transmission Organization or Independent System Operator.
23        (3) No later than January 1, 2035: all EGUs and large
24    greenhouse gas-emitting units that began operation prior
25    to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd
26    General Assembly and have a NOx emission rate of less than

 

 

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1    or equal to 0.12 lb/MWh and a SO2 emission rate less than
2    or equal to 0.006 lb/MWh, and are located in or within 3
3    miles of an environmental justice community designated as
4    of January 1, 2021 or an equity investment eligible
5    community. Each such EGU and large greenhouse gas-emitting
6    unit shall reduce its CO2e emissions by at least 50% from
7    its existing emissions for CO2e no later than January 1,
8    2030.
9        (4) No later than January 1, 2040: All remaining EGUs
10    and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that have a heat
11    rate greater than or equal to 7000 BTU/kWh. Each such EGU
12    and Large greenhouse gas-emitting unit shall reduce its
13    CO2e emissions by at least 50% from its existing emissions
14    for CO2e no later than January 1, 2035.
15        (5) No later than January 1, 2045: all remaining EGUs
16    and large greenhouse gas-emitting units.
17    (j) All EGUs and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that
18use gas as a fuel and are public GHG-emitting units shall
19permanently reduce all CO2e and copollutant emissions to zero,
20including through unit retirement or the use of 100% green
21hydrogen or other similar technology that is commercially
22proven to achieve zero carbon emissions by January 1, 2045.
23    (k) All EGUs and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that
24utilize combined heat and power or cogeneration technology
25shall permanently reduce all CO2e and copollutant emissions to
26zero, including through unit retirement or the use of 100%

 

 

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1green hydrogen or other similar technology that is
2commercially proven to achieve zero carbon emissions by
3January 1, 2045.
4    (k-5) No EGU or large greenhouse gas-emitting unit that
5uses gas as a fuel and is not a public GHG-emitting unit may
6emit, in any 12-month period, CO2e or copollutants in excess of
7that unit's existing emissions for those pollutants.
8    (l) Notwithstanding subsections (g) through (k-5), large
9GHG-emitting units including EGUs may temporarily continue
10emitting greenhouse gases after any applicable deadline
11specified in any of subsections (g) through (k-5) if it has
12been determined, as described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of
13this subsection, that ongoing operation of the EGU is
14necessary to maintain power grid supply and reliability or
15ongoing operation of large GHG-emitting unit that is not an
16EGU is necessary to serve as an emergency backup to
17operations. Up to and including the occurrence of an emission
18reduction deadline under subsection (i), all EGUs and large
19GHG-emitting units must comply with the following terms:
20        (1) if an EGU or large GHG-emitting unit that is a
21    participant in a regional transmission organization
22    intends to retire, it must submit documentation to the
23    appropriate regional transmission organization by the
24    appropriate deadline that meets all applicable regulatory
25    requirements necessary to obtain approval to permanently
26    cease operating the large GHG-emitting unit;

 

 

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1        (2) if any EGU or large GHG-emitting unit that is a
2    participant in a regional transmission organization
3    receives notice that the regional transmission
4    organization has determined that continued operation of
5    the unit is required, the unit may continue operating
6    until the issue identified by the regional transmission
7    organization is resolved. The owner or operator of the
8    unit must cooperate with the regional transmission
9    organization in resolving the issue and must reduce its
10    emissions to zero, consistent with the requirements under
11    subsection (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), or (k-5), as
12    applicable, as soon as practicable when the issue
13    identified by the regional transmission organization is
14    resolved; and
15        (3) any large GHG-emitting unit that is not a
16    participant in a regional transmission organization shall
17    be allowed to continue emitting greenhouse gases after the
18    zero-emission date specified in subsection (g), (h), (i),
19    (j), (k), or (k-5), as applicable, in the capacity of an
20    emergency backup unit if approved by the Illinois Commerce
21    Commission.
22    (m) No variance, adjusted standard, or other regulatory
23relief otherwise available in this Act may be granted to the
24emissions reduction and elimination obligations in this
25Section.
26    (n) By June 30 of each year, beginning in 2025, the Agency

 

 

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1shall prepare and publish on its website a report setting
2forth the actual greenhouse gas emissions from individual
3units and the aggregate statewide emissions from all units for
4the prior year.
5    (o) Every 5 years beginning in 2025, the Environmental
6Protection Agency, Illinois Power Agency, and Illinois
7Commerce Commission shall jointly prepare, and release
8publicly, a report to the General Assembly that examines the
9State's current progress toward its renewable energy resource
10development goals, the status of CO2e and copollutant
11emissions reductions, the current status and progress toward
12developing and implementing green hydrogen technologies, the
13current and projected status of electric resource adequacy and
14reliability throughout the State for the period beginning 5
15years ahead, and proposed solutions for any findings. The
16Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Power Agency, and
17Illinois Commerce Commission shall consult PJM
18Interconnection, LLC and Midcontinent Independent System
19Operator, Inc., or their respective successor organizations
20regarding forecasted resource adequacy and reliability needs,
21anticipated new generation interconnection, new transmission
22development or upgrades, and any announced large GHG-emitting
23unit closure dates and include this information in the report.
24The report shall be released publicly by no later than
25December 15 of the year it is prepared. If the Environmental
26Protection Agency, Illinois Power Agency, and Illinois

 

 

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1Commerce Commission jointly conclude in the report that the
2data from the regional grid operators, the pace of renewable
3energy development, the pace of development of energy storage
4and demand response utilization, transmission capacity, and
5the CO2e and copollutant emissions reductions required by
6subsection (i) or (k-5) reasonably demonstrate that a resource
7adequacy shortfall will occur, including whether there will be
8sufficient in-state capacity to meet the zonal requirements of
9MISO Zone 4 or the PJM ComEd Zone, per the requirements of the
10regional transmission organizations, or that the regional
11transmission operators determine that a reliability violation
12will occur during the time frame the study is evaluating, then
13the Illinois Power Agency, in conjunction with the
14Environmental Protection Agency shall develop a plan to reduce
15or delay CO2e and copollutant emissions reductions
16requirements only to the extent and for the duration necessary
17to meet the resource adequacy and reliability needs of the
18State, including allowing any plants whose emission reduction
19deadline has been identified in the plan as creating a
20reliability concern to continue operating, including operating
21with reduced emissions or as emergency backup where
22appropriate. The plan shall also consider the use of renewable
23energy, energy storage, demand response, transmission
24development, or other strategies to resolve the identified
25resource adequacy shortfall or reliability violation.
26        (1) In developing the plan, the Environmental

 

 

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1    Protection Agency and the Illinois Power Agency shall hold
2    at least one workshop open to, and accessible at a time and
3    place convenient to, the public and shall consider any
4    comments made by stakeholders or the public. Upon
5    development of the plan, copies of the plan shall be
6    posted and made publicly available on the Environmental
7    Protection Agency's, the Illinois Power Agency's, and the
8    Illinois Commerce Commission's websites. All interested
9    parties shall have 60 days following the date of posting
10    to provide comment to the Environmental Protection Agency
11    and the Illinois Power Agency on the plan. All comments
12    submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency and the
13    Illinois Power Agency shall be encouraged to be specific,
14    supported by data or other detailed analyses, and, if
15    objecting to all or a portion of the plan, accompanied by
16    specific alternative wording or proposals. All comments
17    shall be posted on the Environmental Protection Agency's,
18    the Illinois Power Agency's, and the Illinois Commerce
19    Commission's websites. Within 30 days following the end of
20    the 60-day review period, the Environmental Protection
21    Agency and the Illinois Power Agency shall revise the plan
22    as necessary based on the comments received and file its
23    revised plan with the Illinois Commerce Commission for
24    approval.
25        (2) Within 60 days after the filing of the revised
26    plan at the Illinois Commerce Commission, any person

 

 

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1    objecting to the plan shall file an objection with the
2    Illinois Commerce Commission. Within 30 days after the
3    expiration of the comment period, the Illinois Commerce
4    Commission shall determine whether an evidentiary hearing
5    is necessary. The Illinois Commerce Commission shall also
6    host 3 public hearings within 90 days after the plan is
7    filed. Following the evidentiary and public hearings, the
8    Illinois Commerce Commission shall enter its order
9    approving or approving with modifications the reliability
10    mitigation plan within 180 days.
11        (3) The Illinois Commerce Commission shall only
12    approve the plan if the Illinois Commerce Commission
13    determines that it will resolve the resource adequacy or
14    reliability deficiency identified in the reliability
15    mitigation plan at the least amount of CO2e and copollutant
16    emissions, taking into consideration the emissions impacts
17    on environmental justice communities, and that it will
18    ensure adequate, reliable, affordable, efficient, and
19    environmentally sustainable electric service at the lowest
20    total cost over time, taking into account the impact of
21    increases in emissions.
22        (4) If the resource adequacy or reliability deficiency
23    identified in the reliability mitigation plan is resolved
24    or reduced, the Environmental Protection Agency and the
25    Illinois Power Agency may file an amended plan adjusting
26    the reduction or delay in CO2e and copollutant emission

 

 

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1    reduction requirements identified in the plan.
2(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21.)