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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 13

 
2     WHEREAS, Compliance with the requirements of the National
3 Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and the effects
4 of surface discharging private sewage disposal systems on
5 communities within the State are matters of extreme importance;
6 and
 
7     WHEREAS, Illinois is mandated by the federal Clean Water
8 Act to adhere to and enforce the standards set forth by the
9 NPDES to protect the waters of the United States; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Failure of Illinois to enforce NPDES standards on
11 surface discharging private sewage disposal systems requires
12 the federal Environmental Protection Agency to withdraw from
13 the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency the authority to
14 grant NPDES permits under State and federal law; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Loss of NPDES permit standing could have a
16 devastating effect on jobs and water quality in Illinois; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Malfunctioning or improperly operating and
18 maintained surface discharging private sewage disposal systems
19 can pose serious health hazards; a surface discharging system
20 that is malfunctioning or improperly operating and maintained
21 may contain raw sewage, which is not always obvious or visible

 

 

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1 to the untrained eye and may contain disease-causing organisms,
2 such as bacteria and viruses that come from the digestive
3 tract, respiratory tract, and skin; diseases commonly
4 associated with improperly treated sewage include
5 Gastroenteritis, Shigellosis, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, and
6 Leptospirosis; and
 
7     WHEREAS, There are soil conditions of the State in which a
8 surface discharging system is the only viable choice due to the
9 poor absorption qualities of the soil types, such as high clay,
10 rock content, or high seasonal water table, although reasonable
11 technical measures may exist to minimize or eliminate
12 discharges from these systems to waters of the United States;
13 and
 
14     WHEREAS, A failing surface discharging system has the
15 potential to affect an entire subdivision or surrounding area;
16 in particular the discharge may become a tempting nuisance to
17 neighborhood children and pets who may play in or around the
18 pooling discharge and, subsequently, become directly infected
19 or become the modes of transmission by tracking disease-causing
20 organisms into their homes; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Existing discharging septic systems were
22 permitted to be installed under the Private Sewage Disposal
23 Licensing Act without the owners being aware of the

 

 

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1 requirements of the federal Clean Water Act; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Different states and regions require varying
3 degrees of permit conditions, including different testing and
4 sampling requirements per year; and
 
5     WHEREAS, We want to ensure that while we protect the
6 environment, we also place the minimum burden possible on
7 owners of these existing and new systems; therefore, be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
10 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Joint Task
11 Force on National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
12 (NPDES) Compliance, which shall be charged with the following
13 tasks:
14         (1) examining the State's current compliance with
15     NPDES laws, rules, and guidelines related to surface
16     discharging private sewage disposal systems;
17         (2) forming a reasonably complete picture of where in
18     the State surface discharging private sewage disposal
19     systems have been permitted and where they have not been
20     permitted;
21         (3) examining alternatives to surface discharging
22     private sewage disposal systems;
23         (4) examining how other states are regulating surface

 

 

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1     discharging private sewage disposal systems; and
2         (5) examining how Illinois can comply with national
3     NPDES laws, rules, and guidelines in such a way as to
4     minimize the financial impact upon Illinois homeowners who
5     currently use surface discharging private sewage disposal
6     systems; and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall consist of 8
8 members, 2 of whom shall be appointed by the President of the
9 Senate; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
10 House of Representatives; 2 of whom shall be appointed by the
11 Minority Leader of the Senate; and 2 of whom shall be appointed
12 by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and be
13 it further
 
14     RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall meet initially at
15 the call of the Speaker and the President, shall select 2
16 members as co-chairpersons, one from each political party, at
17 its initial meeting, and shall thereafter meet at the joint
18 call of the co-chairpersons; and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That the Environmental Protection Agency shall
20 provide support staff for the Joint Task Force; and be it
21 further
 
22     RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall report its

 

 

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1 findings to the General Assembly by filing copies of its report
2 with the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate no
3 later than January 1, 2008; and that upon filing its report the
4 Joint Task Force is dissolved.