Sen. Don Harmon

Filed: 4/30/2012

 

 


 

 


 
09700SB3728sam002LRB097 14057 JDS 68869 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 3728

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 3728 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Environmental Protection Act is amended by
5changing Section 39 as follows:
 
6    (415 ILCS 5/39)  (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1039)
7    Sec. 39. Issuance of permits; procedures.
8    (a) When the Board has by regulation required a permit for
9the construction, installation, or operation of any type of
10facility, equipment, vehicle, vessel, or aircraft, the
11applicant shall apply to the Agency for such permit and it
12shall be the duty of the Agency to issue such a permit upon
13proof by the applicant that the facility, equipment, vehicle,
14vessel, or aircraft will not cause a violation of this Act or
15of regulations hereunder. The Agency shall adopt such
16procedures as are necessary to carry out its duties under this

 

 

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1Section. In making its determinations on permit applications
2under this Section the Agency may consider prior adjudications
3of noncompliance with this Act by the applicant that involved a
4release of a contaminant into the environment. In granting
5permits, the Agency may impose reasonable conditions
6specifically related to the applicant's past compliance
7history with this Act as necessary to correct, detect, or
8prevent noncompliance. The Agency may impose such other
9conditions as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of
10this Act, and as are not inconsistent with the regulations
11promulgated by the Board hereunder. Except as otherwise
12provided in this Act, a bond or other security shall not be
13required as a condition for the issuance of a permit. If the
14Agency denies any permit under this Section, the Agency shall
15transmit to the applicant within the time limitations of this
16Section specific, detailed statements as to the reasons the
17permit application was denied. Such statements shall include,
18but not be limited to the following:
19        (i) the Sections of this Act which may be violated if
20    the permit were granted;
21        (ii) the provision of the regulations, promulgated
22    under this Act, which may be violated if the permit were
23    granted;
24        (iii) the specific type of information, if any, which
25    the Agency deems the applicant did not provide the Agency;
26    and

 

 

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1        (iv) a statement of specific reasons why the Act and
2    the regulations might not be met if the permit were
3    granted.
4    If there is no final action by the Agency within 90 days
5after the filing of the application for permit, the applicant
6may deem the permit issued; except that this time period shall
7be extended to 180 days when (1) notice and opportunity for
8public hearing are required by State or federal law or
9regulation, (2) the application which was filed is for any
10permit to develop a landfill subject to issuance pursuant to
11this subsection, or (3) the application that was filed is for a
12MSWLF unit required to issue public notice under subsection (p)
13of Section 39. The 90-day and 180-day time periods for the
14Agency to take final action do not apply to NPDES permit
15applications under subsection (b) of this Section, to RCRA
16permit applications under subsection (d) of this Section, or to
17UIC permit applications under subsection (e) of this Section.
18    The Agency shall publish notice of all final permit
19determinations for development permits for MSWLF units and for
20significant permit modifications for lateral expansions for
21existing MSWLF units one time in a newspaper of general
22circulation in the county in which the unit is or is proposed
23to be located.
24    After January 1, 1994 and until July 1, 1998, operating
25permits issued under this Section by the Agency for sources of
26air pollution permitted to emit less than 25 tons per year of

 

 

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1any combination of regulated air pollutants, as defined in
2Section 39.5 of this Act, shall be required to be renewed only
3upon written request by the Agency consistent with applicable
4provisions of this Act and regulations promulgated hereunder.
5Such operating permits shall expire 180 days after the date of
6such a request. The Board shall revise its regulations for the
7existing State air pollution operating permit program
8consistent with this provision by January 1, 1994.
9    After June 30, 1998, operating permits issued under this
10Section by the Agency for sources of air pollution that are not
11subject to Section 39.5 of this Act and are not required to
12have a federally enforceable State operating permit shall be
13required to be renewed only upon written request by the Agency
14consistent with applicable provisions of this Act and its
15rules. Such operating permits shall expire 180 days after the
16date of such a request. Before July 1, 1998, the Board shall
17revise its rules for the existing State air pollution operating
18permit program consistent with this paragraph and shall adopt
19rules that require a source to demonstrate that it qualifies
20for a permit under this paragraph.
21    (b) The Agency may issue NPDES permits exclusively under
22this subsection for the discharge of contaminants from point
23sources into navigable waters, all as defined in the Federal
24Water Pollution Control Act, as now or hereafter amended,
25within the jurisdiction of the State, or into any well.
26    All NPDES permits shall contain those terms and conditions,

 

 

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1including but not limited to schedules of compliance, which may
2be required to accomplish the purposes and provisions of this
3Act.
4    The Agency may issue general NPDES permits for discharges
5from categories of point sources which are subject to the same
6permit limitations and conditions. Such general permits may be
7issued without individual applications and shall conform to
8regulations promulgated under Section 402 of the Federal Water
9Pollution Control Act, as now or hereafter amended.
10    The Agency may include, among such conditions, effluent
11limitations and other requirements established under this Act,
12Board regulations, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as
13now or hereafter amended, and regulations pursuant thereto, and
14schedules for achieving compliance therewith at the earliest
15reasonable date.
16    The Agency shall adopt filing requirements and procedures
17which are necessary and appropriate for the issuance of NPDES
18permits, and which are consistent with the Act or regulations
19adopted by the Board, and with the Federal Water Pollution
20Control Act, as now or hereafter amended, and regulations
21pursuant thereto.
22    The Agency, subject to any conditions which may be
23prescribed by Board regulations, may issue NPDES permits to
24allow discharges beyond deadlines established by this Act or by
25regulations of the Board without the requirement of a variance,
26subject to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as now or

 

 

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1hereafter amended, and regulations pursuant thereto.
2    (c) Except for those facilities owned or operated by
3sanitary districts organized under the Metropolitan Water
4Reclamation District Act, no permit for the development or
5construction of a new pollution control facility may be granted
6by the Agency unless the applicant submits proof to the Agency
7that the location of the facility has been approved by the
8County Board of the county if in an unincorporated area, or the
9governing body of the municipality when in an incorporated
10area, in which the facility is to be located in accordance with
11Section 39.2 of this Act. For purposes of this subsection (c),
12and for purposes of Section 39.2 of this Act, the appropriate
13county board or governing body of the municipality shall be the
14county board of the county or the governing body of the
15municipality in which the facility is to be located as of the
16date when the application for siting approval is filed.
17    In the event that siting approval granted pursuant to
18Section 39.2 has been transferred to a subsequent owner or
19operator, that subsequent owner or operator may apply to the
20Agency for, and the Agency may grant, a development or
21construction permit for the facility for which local siting
22approval was granted. Upon application to the Agency for a
23development or construction permit by that subsequent owner or
24operator, the permit applicant shall cause written notice of
25the permit application to be served upon the appropriate county
26board or governing body of the municipality that granted siting

 

 

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1approval for that facility and upon any party to the siting
2proceeding pursuant to which siting approval was granted. In
3that event, the Agency shall conduct an evaluation of the
4subsequent owner or operator's prior experience in waste
5management operations in the manner conducted under subsection
6(i) of Section 39 of this Act.
7    Beginning August 20, 1993, if the pollution control
8facility consists of a hazardous or solid waste disposal
9facility for which the proposed site is located in an
10unincorporated area of a county with a population of less than
11100,000 and includes all or a portion of a parcel of land that
12was, on April 1, 1993, adjacent to a municipality having a
13population of less than 5,000, then the local siting review
14required under this subsection (c) in conjunction with any
15permit applied for after that date shall be performed by the
16governing body of that adjacent municipality rather than the
17county board of the county in which the proposed site is
18located; and for the purposes of that local siting review, any
19references in this Act to the county board shall be deemed to
20mean the governing body of that adjacent municipality;
21provided, however, that the provisions of this paragraph shall
22not apply to any proposed site which was, on April 1, 1993,
23owned in whole or in part by another municipality.
24    In the case of a pollution control facility for which a
25development permit was issued before November 12, 1981, if an
26operating permit has not been issued by the Agency prior to

 

 

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1August 31, 1989 for any portion of the facility, then the
2Agency may not issue or renew any development permit nor issue
3an original operating permit for any portion of such facility
4unless the applicant has submitted proof to the Agency that the
5location of the facility has been approved by the appropriate
6county board or municipal governing body pursuant to Section
739.2 of this Act.
8    After January 1, 1994, if a solid waste disposal facility,
9any portion for which an operating permit has been issued by
10the Agency, has not accepted waste disposal for 5 or more
11consecutive calendars years, before that facility may accept
12any new or additional waste for disposal, the owner and
13operator must obtain a new operating permit under this Act for
14that facility unless the owner and operator have applied to the
15Agency for a permit authorizing the temporary suspension of
16waste acceptance. The Agency may not issue a new operation
17permit under this Act for the facility unless the applicant has
18submitted proof to the Agency that the location of the facility
19has been approved or re-approved by the appropriate county
20board or municipal governing body under Section 39.2 of this
21Act after the facility ceased accepting waste.
22    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Agency
23may not issue a construction or operating permit under this Act
24for any facility that has been the subject of a disconnection
25action that was commenced on or after January 1, 2010, unless
26the applicant for that permit submits proof to the Agency (i)

 

 

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1that the location of the facility has been approved or
2re-approved by the appropriate county board or municipal
3governing body under Section 39.2 of this Act and (ii) that the
4location of the facility has also been approved by the
5governing authority of every municipality contiguous to the
6proposed site and, if the proposed site is located within the
7boundaries of a municipality, by the county board of the county
8where the proposed site is located.
9    Except for those facilities owned or operated by sanitary
10districts organized under the Metropolitan Water Reclamation
11District Act, and except for new pollution control facilities
12governed by Section 39.2, and except for fossil fuel mining
13facilities, the granting of a permit under this Act shall not
14relieve the applicant from meeting and securing all necessary
15zoning approvals from the unit of government having zoning
16jurisdiction over the proposed facility.
17    Before beginning construction on any new sewage treatment
18plant or sludge drying site to be owned or operated by a
19sanitary district organized under the Metropolitan Water
20Reclamation District Act for which a new permit (rather than
21the renewal or amendment of an existing permit) is required,
22such sanitary district shall hold a public hearing within the
23municipality within which the proposed facility is to be
24located, or within the nearest community if the proposed
25facility is to be located within an unincorporated area, at
26which information concerning the proposed facility shall be

 

 

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1made available to the public, and members of the public shall
2be given the opportunity to express their views concerning the
3proposed facility.
4    The Agency may issue a permit for a municipal waste
5transfer station without requiring approval pursuant to
6Section 39.2 provided that the following demonstration is made:
7        (1) the municipal waste transfer station was in
8    existence on or before January 1, 1979 and was in
9    continuous operation from January 1, 1979 to January 1,
10    1993;
11        (2) the operator submitted a permit application to the
12    Agency to develop and operate the municipal waste transfer
13    station during April of 1994;
14        (3) the operator can demonstrate that the county board
15    of the county, if the municipal waste transfer station is
16    in an unincorporated area, or the governing body of the
17    municipality, if the station is in an incorporated area,
18    does not object to resumption of the operation of the
19    station; and
20        (4) the site has local zoning approval.
21    (d) The Agency may issue RCRA permits exclusively under
22this subsection to persons owning or operating a facility for
23the treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste as
24defined under this Act.
25    All RCRA permits shall contain those terms and conditions,
26including but not limited to schedules of compliance, which may

 

 

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1be required to accomplish the purposes and provisions of this
2Act. The Agency may include among such conditions standards and
3other requirements established under this Act, Board
4regulations, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
5(P.L. 94-580), as amended, and regulations pursuant thereto,
6and may include schedules for achieving compliance therewith as
7soon as possible. The Agency shall require that a performance
8bond or other security be provided as a condition for the
9issuance of a RCRA permit.
10    In the case of a permit to operate a hazardous waste or PCB
11incinerator as defined in subsection (k) of Section 44, the
12Agency shall require, as a condition of the permit, that the
13operator of the facility perform such analyses of the waste to
14be incinerated as may be necessary and appropriate to ensure
15the safe operation of the incinerator.
16    The Agency shall adopt filing requirements and procedures
17which are necessary and appropriate for the issuance of RCRA
18permits, and which are consistent with the Act or regulations
19adopted by the Board, and with the Resource Conservation and
20Recovery Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-580), as amended, and regulations
21pursuant thereto.
22    The applicant shall make available to the public for
23inspection all documents submitted by the applicant to the
24Agency in furtherance of an application, with the exception of
25trade secrets, at the office of the county board or governing
26body of the municipality. Such documents may be copied upon

 

 

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1payment of the actual cost of reproduction during regular
2business hours of the local office. The Agency shall issue a
3written statement concurrent with its grant or denial of the
4permit explaining the basis for its decision.
5    (e) The Agency may issue UIC permits exclusively under this
6subsection to persons owning or operating a facility for the
7underground injection of contaminants as defined under this
8Act.
9    All UIC permits shall contain those terms and conditions,
10including but not limited to schedules of compliance, which may
11be required to accomplish the purposes and provisions of this
12Act. The Agency may include among such conditions standards and
13other requirements established under this Act, Board
14regulations, the Safe Drinking Water Act (P.L. 93-523), as
15amended, and regulations pursuant thereto, and may include
16schedules for achieving compliance therewith. The Agency shall
17require that a performance bond or other security be provided
18as a condition for the issuance of a UIC permit.
19    The Agency shall adopt filing requirements and procedures
20which are necessary and appropriate for the issuance of UIC
21permits, and which are consistent with the Act or regulations
22adopted by the Board, and with the Safe Drinking Water Act
23(P.L. 93-523), as amended, and regulations pursuant thereto.
24    The applicant shall make available to the public for
25inspection, all documents submitted by the applicant to the
26Agency in furtherance of an application, with the exception of

 

 

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1trade secrets, at the office of the county board or governing
2body of the municipality. Such documents may be copied upon
3payment of the actual cost of reproduction during regular
4business hours of the local office. The Agency shall issue a
5written statement concurrent with its grant or denial of the
6permit explaining the basis for its decision.
7    (f) In making any determination pursuant to Section 9.1 of
8this Act:
9        (1) The Agency shall have authority to make the
10    determination of any question required to be determined by
11    the Clean Air Act, as now or hereafter amended, this Act,
12    or the regulations of the Board, including the
13    determination of the Lowest Achievable Emission Rate,
14    Maximum Achievable Control Technology, or Best Available
15    Control Technology, consistent with the Board's
16    regulations, if any.
17        (2) The Agency shall, after conferring with the
18    applicant, give written notice to the applicant of its
19    proposed decision on the application including the terms
20    and conditions of the permit to be issued and the facts,
21    conduct or other basis upon which the Agency will rely to
22    support its proposed action.
23        (3) Following such notice, the Agency shall give the
24    applicant an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with
25    the provisions of Sections 10-25 through 10-60 of the
26    Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.

 

 

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1    (g) The Agency shall include as conditions upon all permits
2issued for hazardous waste disposal sites such restrictions
3upon the future use of such sites as are reasonably necessary
4to protect public health and the environment, including
5permanent prohibition of the use of such sites for purposes
6which may create an unreasonable risk of injury to human health
7or to the environment. After administrative and judicial
8challenges to such restrictions have been exhausted, the Agency
9shall file such restrictions of record in the Office of the
10Recorder of the county in which the hazardous waste disposal
11site is located.
12    (h) A hazardous waste stream may not be deposited in a
13permitted hazardous waste site unless specific authorization
14is obtained from the Agency by the generator and disposal site
15owner and operator for the deposit of that specific hazardous
16waste stream. The Agency may grant specific authorization for
17disposal of hazardous waste streams only after the generator
18has reasonably demonstrated that, considering technological
19feasibility and economic reasonableness, the hazardous waste
20cannot be reasonably recycled for reuse, nor incinerated or
21chemically, physically or biologically treated so as to
22neutralize the hazardous waste and render it nonhazardous. In
23granting authorization under this Section, the Agency may
24impose such conditions as may be necessary to accomplish the
25purposes of the Act and are consistent with this Act and
26regulations promulgated by the Board hereunder. If the Agency

 

 

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1refuses to grant authorization under this Section, the
2applicant may appeal as if the Agency refused to grant a
3permit, pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of Section
440 of this Act. For purposes of this subsection (h), the term
5"generator" has the meaning given in Section 3.205 of this Act,
6unless: (1) the hazardous waste is treated, incinerated, or
7partially recycled for reuse prior to disposal, in which case
8the last person who treats, incinerates, or partially recycles
9the hazardous waste prior to disposal is the generator; or (2)
10the hazardous waste is from a response action, in which case
11the person performing the response action is the generator.
12This subsection (h) does not apply to any hazardous waste that
13is restricted from land disposal under 35 Ill. Adm. Code 728.
14    (i) Before issuing any RCRA permit, any permit for a waste
15storage site, sanitary landfill, waste disposal site, waste
16transfer station, waste treatment facility, waste incinerator,
17or any waste-transportation operation, or any permit or interim
18authorization for a clean construction or demolition debris
19fill operation, the Agency shall conduct an evaluation of the
20prospective owner's or operator's prior experience in waste
21management operations and clean construction or demolition
22debris fill operations. The Agency may deny such a permit, or
23deny or revoke interim authorization, if the prospective owner
24or operator or any employee or officer of the prospective owner
25or operator has a history of:
26        (1) repeated violations of federal, State, or local

 

 

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1    laws, regulations, standards, or ordinances in the
2    operation of waste management facilities or sites or clean
3    construction or demolition debris fill operation
4    facilities or sites; or
5        (2) conviction in this or another State of any crime
6    which is a felony under the laws of this State, or
7    conviction of a felony in a federal court; or conviction in
8    this or another state or federal court of any of the
9    following crimes: forgery, official misconduct, bribery,
10    perjury, or knowingly submitting false information under
11    any environmental law, regulation, or permit term or
12    condition; or
13        (3) proof of gross carelessness or incompetence in
14    handling, storing, processing, transporting or disposing
15    of waste or clean construction or demolition debris, or
16    proof of gross carelessness or incompetence in using clean
17    construction or demolition debris as fill.
18    (i-5) Before issuing any permit or approving any interim
19authorization for a clean construction or demolition debris
20fill operation in which any ownership interest is transferred
21between January 1, 2005, and the effective date of the
22prohibition set forth in Section 22.52 of this Act, the Agency
23shall conduct an evaluation of the operation if any previous
24activities at the site or facility may have caused or allowed
25contamination of the site. It shall be the responsibility of
26the owner or operator seeking the permit or interim

 

 

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1authorization to provide to the Agency all of the information
2necessary for the Agency to conduct its evaluation. The Agency
3may deny a permit or interim authorization if previous
4activities at the site may have caused or allowed contamination
5at the site, unless such contamination is authorized under any
6permit issued by the Agency.
7    (j) The issuance under this Act of a permit to engage in
8the surface mining of any resources other than fossil fuels
9shall not relieve the permittee from its duty to comply with
10any applicable local law regulating the commencement, location
11or operation of surface mining facilities.
12    (k) A development permit issued under subsection (a) of
13Section 39 for any facility or site which is required to have a
14permit under subsection (d) of Section 21 shall expire at the
15end of 2 calendar years from the date upon which it was issued,
16unless within that period the applicant has taken action to
17develop the facility or the site. In the event that review of
18the conditions of the development permit is sought pursuant to
19Section 40 or 41, or permittee is prevented from commencing
20development of the facility or site by any other litigation
21beyond the permittee's control, such two-year period shall be
22deemed to begin on the date upon which such review process or
23litigation is concluded.
24    (l) No permit shall be issued by the Agency under this Act
25for construction or operation of any facility or site located
26within the boundaries of any setback zone established pursuant

 

 

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1to this Act, where such construction or operation is
2prohibited.
3    (m) The Agency may issue permits to persons owning or
4operating a facility for composting landscape waste. In
5granting such permits, the Agency may impose such conditions as
6may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Act, and as
7are not inconsistent with applicable regulations promulgated
8by the Board. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, a bond
9or other security shall not be required as a condition for the
10issuance of a permit. If the Agency denies any permit pursuant
11to this subsection, the Agency shall transmit to the applicant
12within the time limitations of this subsection specific,
13detailed statements as to the reasons the permit application
14was denied. Such statements shall include but not be limited to
15the following:
16        (1) the Sections of this Act that may be violated if
17    the permit were granted;
18        (2) the specific regulations promulgated pursuant to
19    this Act that may be violated if the permit were granted;
20        (3) the specific information, if any, the Agency deems
21    the applicant did not provide in its application to the
22    Agency; and
23        (4) a statement of specific reasons why the Act and the
24    regulations might be violated if the permit were granted.
25    If no final action is taken by the Agency within 90 days
26after the filing of the application for permit, the applicant

 

 

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1may deem the permit issued. Any applicant for a permit may
2waive the 90 day limitation by filing a written statement with
3the Agency.
4    The Agency shall issue permits for such facilities upon
5receipt of an application that includes a legal description of
6the site, a topographic map of the site drawn to the scale of
7200 feet to the inch or larger, a description of the operation,
8including the area served, an estimate of the volume of
9materials to be processed, and documentation that:
10        (1) the facility includes a setback of at least 200
11    feet from the nearest potable water supply well;
12        (2) the facility is located outside the boundary of the
13    10-year floodplain or the site will be floodproofed;
14        (3) the facility is located so as to minimize
15    incompatibility with the character of the surrounding
16    area, including at least a 200 foot setback from any
17    residence, and in the case of a facility that is developed
18    or the permitted composting area of which is expanded after
19    November 17, 1991, the composting area is located at least
20    1/8 mile from the nearest residence (other than a residence
21    located on the same property as the facility);
22        (4) the design of the facility will prevent any compost
23    material from being placed within 5 feet of the water
24    table, will adequately control runoff from the site, and
25    will collect and manage any leachate that is generated on
26    the site;

 

 

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1        (5) the operation of the facility will include
2    appropriate dust and odor control measures, limitations on
3    operating hours, appropriate noise control measures for
4    shredding, chipping and similar equipment, management
5    procedures for composting, containment and disposal of
6    non-compostable wastes, procedures to be used for
7    terminating operations at the site, and recordkeeping
8    sufficient to document the amount of materials received,
9    composted and otherwise disposed of; and
10        (6) the operation will be conducted in accordance with
11    any applicable rules adopted by the Board.
12    The Agency shall issue renewable permits of not longer than
1310 years in duration for the composting of landscape wastes, as
14defined in Section 3.155 of this Act, based on the above
15requirements.
16    The operator of any facility permitted under this
17subsection (m) must submit a written annual statement to the
18Agency on or before April 1 of each year that includes an
19estimate of the amount of material, in tons, received for
20composting.
21    (n) The Agency shall issue permits jointly with the
22Department of Transportation for the dredging or deposit of
23material in Lake Michigan in accordance with Section 18 of the
24Rivers, Lakes, and Streams Act.
25    (o) (Blank.)
26    (p) (1) Any person submitting an application for a permit

 

 

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1for a new MSWLF unit or for a lateral expansion under
2subsection (t) of Section 21 of this Act for an existing MSWLF
3unit that has not received and is not subject to local siting
4approval under Section 39.2 of this Act shall publish notice of
5the application in a newspaper of general circulation in the
6county in which the MSWLF unit is or is proposed to be located.
7The notice must be published at least 15 days before submission
8of the permit application to the Agency. The notice shall state
9the name and address of the applicant, the location of the
10MSWLF unit or proposed MSWLF unit, the nature and size of the
11MSWLF unit or proposed MSWLF unit, the nature of the activity
12proposed, the probable life of the proposed activity, the date
13the permit application will be submitted, and a statement that
14persons may file written comments with the Agency concerning
15the permit application within 30 days after the filing of the
16permit application unless the time period to submit comments is
17extended by the Agency.
18    When a permit applicant submits information to the Agency
19to supplement a permit application being reviewed by the
20Agency, the applicant shall not be required to reissue the
21notice under this subsection.
22    (2) The Agency shall accept written comments concerning the
23permit application that are postmarked no later than 30 days
24after the filing of the permit application, unless the time
25period to accept comments is extended by the Agency.
26    (3) Each applicant for a permit described in part (1) of

 

 

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1this subsection shall file a copy of the permit application
2with the county board or governing body of the municipality in
3which the MSWLF unit is or is proposed to be located at the
4same time the application is submitted to the Agency. The
5permit application filed with the county board or governing
6body of the municipality shall include all documents submitted
7to or to be submitted to the Agency, except trade secrets as
8determined under Section 7.1 of this Act. The permit
9application and other documents on file with the county board
10or governing body of the municipality shall be made available
11for public inspection during regular business hours at the
12office of the county board or the governing body of the
13municipality and may be copied upon payment of the actual cost
14of reproduction.
15    (q) Within 6 months after the effective date of this
16amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, the Agency, in
17consultation with the regulated community, shall develop a web
18portal to be posted on its website for the purpose of enhancing
19review and promoting timely issuance of permits required by
20this Act. At a minimum, the Agency shall make the following
21information available on the web portal:
22        (1) Checklists and guidance relating to the completion
23    of permit applications, developed pursuant to subsection
24    (s) of this Section, which may include, but are not limited
25    to, existing instructions for completing the applications
26    and examples of complete applications. As the Agency

 

 

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1    develops new checklists and develops guidance, it shall
2    supplement the web portal with those materials.
3        (2) Within 2 years after the effective date of this
4    amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, permit
5    application forms or portions of permit applications that
6    can be completed and saved electronically, and submitted to
7    the Agency electronically with digital signatures.
8        (3) Within 2 years after the effective date of this
9    amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, an online
10    tracking system where an applicant may review the status of
11    its pending application, including the name and contact
12    information of the permit analyst assigned to the
13    application. Until the online tracking system has been
14    developed, the Agency shall post on its website semi-annual
15    permitting efficiency tracking reports that include
16    statistics on the timeframes for Agency action on the
17    following types of permits received after the effective
18    date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly:
19    air construction permits, new NPDES permits and associated
20    water construction permits, and modifications of major
21    NPDES permits and associated water construction permits.
22    The reports must be posted by February 1 and August 1 each
23    year and shall include:
24            (A) the number of applications received for each
25        type of permit, the number of applications on which the
26        Agency has taken action, and the number of applications

 

 

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1        still pending; and
2            (B) for those applications where the Agency has not
3        taken action in accordance with the timeframes set
4        forth in this Act, the date the application was
5        received and the reasons for any delays, which may
6        include, but shall not be limited to, (i) the
7        application being inadequate or incomplete, (ii)
8        scientific or technical disagreements with the
9        applicant, USEPA, or other local, state, or federal
10        agencies involved in the permitting approval process,
11        (iii) public opposition to the permit, or (iv) Agency
12        staffing shortages. To the extent practicable, the
13        tracking report shall provide approximate dates when
14        cause for delay was identified by the Agency, when the
15        Agency informed the applicant of the problem leading to
16        the delay, and when the applicant remedied the reason
17        for the delay.
18    (r) Upon the request of the applicant, the Agency shall
19notify the applicant of the permit analyst assigned to the
20application upon its receipt.
21    (s) The Agency is authorized to prepare and distribute
22guidance documents relating to its administration of this
23Section and procedural rules implementing this Section.
24Guidance documents prepared under this subsection shall not be
25considered rules and shall not be subject to the Illinois
26Administrative Procedure Act. Such guidance shall not be

 

 

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1binding on any party.
2    (t) Except as otherwise prohibited by federal law or
3regulation, any person submitting an application for a permit
4may include with the application suggested permit language for
5Agency consideration. The Agency is not obligated to use the
6suggested language or any portion thereof in its permitting
7decision. If requested by the permit applicant, the Agency
8shall meet with the applicant to discuss the suggested
9language.
10    (u) If requested by the permit applicant, the Agency shall
11provide the permit applicant with a copy of the draft permit
12prior to any public review period.
13    (v) If requested by the permit applicant, the Agency shall
14provide the permit applicant with a copy of the final permit
15prior to its issuance.
16    (w) An air pollution permit shall not be required due to
17emissions of greenhouse gases, as specified by Section 9.15 of
18this Act.
19(Source: P.A. 97-95, eff. 7-12-11.)
 
20    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
21becoming law.".