SB2966 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 18011 MGM 53137 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
SB2966

Introduced 2/4/2014, by Sen. Heather A. Steans

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Urban Flooding Awareness Act. Defines "urban flooding". Provides that, by June 30, 2015, the Department of Natural Resources, in consultation with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Housing Development Authority, the Department of Commerce and Economic Development, the Department of Insurance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, the Illinois State Water Survey of the University of Illinois, and other State, regional, and local storm water management agencies, thought leaders, and interested parties, shall submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report that reviews and evaluates the latest available research, laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and institutional knowledge concerning issues of urban flooding. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning safety.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Urban Flooding Awareness Act.

Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act, "urban flooding" means the inundation of property in a built environment, particularly in more densely populated areas, caused by rainfall overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems, such as storm sewers. "Urban flooding" does not include flooding in undeveloped or agricultural areas. "Urban flooding" includes (i) situations in which stormwater enters buildings through windows, doors, or other openings, (ii) water backup through sewer pipes, showers, toilets, sinks, and floor drains, (iii) seepage through walls and floors, (iv) the accumulation of water on property or public rights-of-way, and (v) overflow from bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes.

Section 10. Urban Flooding Study. By June 30, 2015, the Department of Natural Resources, in consultation with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Housing Development Authority, the Department of Commerce and Economic Development, the Department of Insurance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, the Illinois State Water Survey of the University of Illinois, and other State, regional, and local storm water management agencies, thought leaders, and interested parties as the Director of Natural Resources deems appropriate, shall submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report that reviews and evaluates the latest available information, research, laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and institutional knowledge, with recommendations based on the findings in relation to:

(1) the prevalence and costs associated with urban flooding events across the State, and the trends in frequency and severity over the past two decades;

(2) the apparent impact of global climate change on urban flooding;

(3) the impacts of county stormwater programs on urban flooding over the past 2 decades, including a listing of projects and programs and the flood damages avoided;

(4) the effects of the buyout of repetitive loss structures and an assessment of the number and location of remaining flood prone structures;

(5) an evaluation of policies such as using the 100-year storm as the standard for designing urban stormwater detention infrastructure, and the 10-year storm for the design of stormwater conveyance systems;

(6) a review of technology to evaluate floodplains and the risk of property damage from urban flooding, whether a property is in or adjacent to a 1% (100-year) floodplain or not, including LiDAR, unsteady floodplain modeling, and geographic information systems;

(7) strategies for minimizing damage to property from urban flooding, with a focus on rapid, low-cost approaches, such as non-structural and natural infrastructure, and methods for financing them;

(8) the consistency of the criteria for State funding of flood control projects between the Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development;

(9) strategies for increasing participation in the National Flood Insurance Program and Community Rating System; and

(10) strategies and practices to increase the availability, affordability and effectiveness of flood insurance and basement back-up insurance.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.