100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB3156

 

Introduced 2/15/2018, by Sen. Omar Aquino

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
415 ILCS 5/30  from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1030
415 ILCS 5/31  from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1031

    Amends the Enforcement Title of the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency shall cause investigations to be made as a result of the Agency's own investigation or knowledge. Provides that in all cases in which an alleged violation may have a continuing effect on the environment, the Agency shall promptly notify the Attorney General and the State's Attorney for the county in which the alleged violation is occurring. Provides that in all cases the Agency shall refer to the Attorney General and the State's Attorney of the county in which the alleged violation occurred information regarding the violation if a violation is continuing to occur or a penalty for past violations may be appropriate. Makes corresponding and other changes. Effective immediately.


LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB3156LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 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 Sections 30 and 31 as follows:
 
6    (415 ILCS 5/30)  (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1030)
7    Sec. 30. Investigations. The Agency shall cause
8investigations to be made upon the request of the Board, as a
9result of the Agency's own investigation or knowledge, or upon
10receipt of information concerning an alleged violation of this
11Act, any rule or regulation adopted under this Act, any permit
12or term or condition of a permit, or any Board order, and may
13cause to be made such other investigations as it shall deem
14advisable. In all cases in which the alleged violation may have
15a continuing effect on the environment, the Agency shall
16promptly notify the Attorney General and the State's Attorney
17for the county in which the alleged violation is occurring.
18(Source: P.A. 92-574, eff. 6-26-02; 93-152, eff. 7-10-03.)
 
19    (415 ILCS 5/31)  (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1031)
20    Sec. 31. Notice; complaint; hearing.
21    (a)(1) Within 180 days after becoming aware of an alleged
22    violation of the Act, any rule adopted under the Act, a

 

 

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1    permit granted by the Agency, or a condition of such a
2    permit, the Agency shall issue and serve, by certified
3    mail, upon the person complained against a written notice
4    informing that person that the Agency has evidence of the
5    alleged violation. At a minimum, the written notice shall
6    contain:
7            (A) a notification to the person complained
8        against of the requirement to submit a written response
9        addressing the violations alleged and the option to
10        meet with appropriate agency personnel to resolve any
11        alleged violations that could lead to the filing of a
12        formal complaint;
13            (B) a detailed explanation by the Agency of the
14        violations alleged;
15            (C) an explanation by the Agency of the actions
16        that the Agency believes may resolve the alleged
17        violations, including an estimate of a reasonable time
18        period for the person complained against to complete
19        the suggested resolution; and
20            (D) an explanation of any alleged violation that
21        the Agency believes cannot be resolved without the
22        involvement of the Office of the Illinois Attorney
23        General or the State's Attorney of the county in which
24        the alleged violation occurred and the basis for the
25        Agency's belief.
26        (2) A written response to the violations alleged shall

 

 

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1    be submitted to the Agency, by certified mail, within 45
2    days after receipt of notice by the person complained
3    against, unless the Agency agrees to an extension. The
4    written response shall include:
5            (A) information in rebuttal, explanation or
6        justification of each alleged violation;
7            (B) if the person complained against desires to
8        enter into a Compliance Commitment Agreement, proposed
9        terms for a Compliance Commitment Agreement that
10        includes specified times for achieving each commitment
11        and which may consist of a statement indicating that
12        the person complained against believes that compliance
13        has been achieved; and
14            (C) a request for a meeting with appropriate Agency
15        personnel if a meeting is desired by the person
16        complained against.
17        (3) If the person complained against fails to respond
18    in accordance with the requirements of subdivision (2) of
19    this subsection (a), the failure to respond shall be
20    considered a waiver of the requirements of this subsection
21    (a) and nothing in this Section shall preclude the Agency
22    from proceeding pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section.
23        (4) A meeting requested pursuant to subdivision (2) of
24    this subsection (a) shall be held without a representative
25    of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General or the
26    State's Attorney of the county in which the alleged

 

 

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1    violation occurred, within 60 days after receipt of notice
2    by the person complained against, unless the Agency agrees
3    to a postponement. At the meeting, the Agency shall provide
4    an opportunity for the person complained against to respond
5    to each alleged violation, suggested resolution, and
6    suggested implementation time frame, and to suggest
7    alternate resolutions.
8        (5) If a meeting requested pursuant to subdivision (2)
9    of this subsection (a) is held, the person complained
10    against shall, within 21 days following the meeting or
11    within an extended time period as agreed to by the Agency,
12    submit by certified mail to the Agency a written response
13    to the alleged violations. The written response shall
14    include:
15            (A) additional information in rebuttal,
16        explanation, or justification of each alleged
17        violation;
18            (B) if the person complained against desires to
19        enter into a Compliance Commitment Agreement, proposed
20        terms for a Compliance Commitment Agreement that
21        includes specified times for achieving each commitment
22        and which may consist of a statement indicating that
23        the person complained against believes that compliance
24        has been achieved; and
25            (C) a statement indicating that, should the person
26        complained against so wish, the person complained

 

 

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1        against chooses to rely upon the initial written
2        response submitted pursuant to subdivision (2) of this
3        subsection (a).
4        (6) If the person complained against fails to respond
5    in accordance with the requirements of subdivision (5) of
6    this subsection (a), the failure to respond shall be
7    considered a waiver of the requirements of this subsection
8    (a) and nothing in this Section shall preclude the Agency
9    from proceeding pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section.
10        (7) Within 30 days after the Agency's receipt of a
11    written response submitted by the person complained
12    against pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection (a)
13    if a meeting is not requested or pursuant to subdivision
14    (5) of this subsection (a) if a meeting is held, or within
15    a later time period as agreed to by the Agency and the
16    person complained against, the Agency shall issue and
17    serve, by certified mail, upon the person complained
18    against (i) a proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement or
19    (ii) a notice that one or more violations cannot be
20    resolved without the involvement of the Office of the
21    Attorney General or the State's Attorney of the county in
22    which the alleged violation occurred and that no proposed
23    Compliance Commitment Agreement will be issued by the
24    Agency for those violations. The Agency shall include terms
25    and conditions in the proposed Compliance Commitment
26    Agreement that are, in its discretion, necessary to bring

 

 

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1    the person complained against into compliance with the Act,
2    any rule adopted under the Act, any permit granted by the
3    Agency, or any condition of such a permit. The Agency shall
4    take into consideration the proposed terms for the proposed
5    Compliance Commitment Agreement that were provided under
6    subdivision (a)(2)(B) or (a)(5)(B) of this Section by the
7    person complained against.
8        (7.5) Within 30 days after the receipt of the Agency's
9    proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement by the person
10    complained against, the person shall either (i) agree to
11    and sign the proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement
12    provided by the Agency and submit the signed Compliance
13    Commitment Agreement to the Agency by certified mail or
14    (ii) notify the Agency in writing by certified mail of the
15    person's rejection of the proposed Compliance Commitment
16    Agreement. If the person complained against fails to
17    respond to the proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement
18    within 30 days as required under this paragraph, the
19    proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement is deemed
20    rejected by operation of law. Any Compliance Commitment
21    Agreement entered into under item (i) of this paragraph may
22    be amended subsequently in writing by mutual agreement
23    between the Agency and the signatory to the Compliance
24    Commitment Agreement, the signatory's legal
25    representative, or the signatory's agent.
26        (7.6) No person shall violate the terms or conditions

 

 

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1    of a Compliance Commitment Agreement entered into under
2    subdivision (a)(7.5) of this Section. Successful
3    completion of a Compliance Commitment Agreement or an
4    amended Compliance Commitment Agreement shall be a factor
5    to be weighed, in favor of the person completing the
6    Agreement, by the Office of the Illinois Attorney General
7    in determining whether to file a complaint for the
8    violations that were the subject of the Agreement.
9        (8) In all cases the Agency shall refer to the Attorney
10    General and the State's Attorney of the county in which the
11    alleged violation occurred information regarding the
12    violation if a violation is continuing to occur or a
13    penalty for past violations may be appropriate. Nothing in
14    this subsection (a) is intended to require the Agency to
15    enter into Compliance Commitment Agreements for any
16    alleged violation that the Agency believes cannot be
17    resolved without the involvement of the Office of the
18    Attorney General or the State's Attorney of the county in
19    which the alleged violation occurred, for, among other
20    purposes, the imposition of statutory penalties.
21        (9) (Blank). The Agency's failure to respond within 30
22    days to a written response submitted pursuant to
23    subdivision (2) of this subsection (a) if a meeting is not
24    requested or pursuant to subdivision (5) of this subsection
25    (a) if a meeting is held, or within the time period
26    otherwise agreed to in writing by the Agency and the person

 

 

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1    complained against, shall be deemed an acceptance by the
2    Agency of the proposed terms of the Compliance Commitment
3    Agreement for the violations alleged in the written notice
4    issued under subdivision (1) of this subsection (a) as
5    contained within the written response.
6        (10) Nothing If the person complained against complies
7    with the terms of a Compliance Commitment Agreement
8    accepted pursuant to this subsection (a), the Agency shall
9    not refer the alleged violations which are the subject of
10    the Compliance Commitment Agreement to the Office of the
11    Illinois Attorney General or the State's Attorney of the
12    county in which the alleged violation occurred. However,
13    nothing in this subsection is intended to preclude the
14    Agency from continuing negotiations with the person
15    complained against or from proceeding pursuant to the
16    provisions of subsection (b) of this Section for alleged
17    violations that remain the subject of disagreement between
18    the Agency and the person complained against following
19    fulfillment of the requirements of this subsection (a).
20        (11) Nothing in this subsection (a) is intended to
21    preclude the person complained against from submitting to
22    the Agency, by certified mail, at any time, notification
23    that the person complained against consents to waiver of
24    the requirements of subsections (a) and (b) of this
25    Section.
26        (12) The Agency shall have the authority to adopt rules

 

 

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1    for the administration of subsection (a) of this Section.
2    The rules shall be adopted in accordance with the
3    provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.
4    (b) For alleged violations that remain the subject of
5disagreement between the Agency and the person complained
6against following fulfillment of the requirements of
7subsection (a) of this Section, and for alleged violations of
8the terms or conditions of a Compliance Commitment Agreement
9entered into under subdivision (a)(7.5) of this Section as well
10as the alleged violations that are the subject of the
11Compliance Commitment Agreement, and as a precondition to the
12Agency's referral or request to the Office of the Illinois
13Attorney General or the State's Attorney of the county in which
14the alleged violation occurred for legal representation
15regarding an alleged violation that may be addressed pursuant
16to subsection (c) or (d) of this Section or pursuant to Section
1742 of this Act, the Agency shall issue and serve, by certified
18mail, upon the person complained against a written notice
19informing that person that the Agency intends to pursue legal
20action. Such notice shall notify the person complained against
21of the violations to be alleged and offer the person an
22opportunity to meet with appropriate Agency personnel in an
23effort to resolve any alleged violations that could lead to the
24filing of a formal complaint. The meeting with Agency personnel
25shall be held within 30 days after receipt of notice served
26pursuant to this subsection upon the person complained against,

 

 

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1unless the Agency agrees to a postponement or the person
2notifies the Agency that he or she will not appear at a meeting
3within the 30-day time period. Nothing in this subsection is
4intended to preclude the Agency from following the provisions
5of subsection (c) or (d) of this Section or from requesting the
6legal representation of the Office of the Illinois Attorney
7General or the State's Attorney of the county in which the
8alleged violations occurred for alleged violations which
9remain the subject of disagreement between the Agency and the
10person complained against after the provisions of this
11subsection are fulfilled.
12     (c)(1) For alleged violations, which remain the subject of
13    disagreement between the Agency and the person complained
14    against following waiver pursuant to subdivision (10) of
15    subsection (a) of this Section or fulfillment of the
16    requirements of subsections (a) and (b) of this Section,
17    the Office of the Illinois Attorney General or the State's
18    Attorney of the county in which the alleged violation
19    occurred shall issue and serve upon the person complained
20    against a written notice, together with a formal complaint,
21    which shall specify the provision of the Act, rule,
22    regulation, permit, or term or condition thereof under
23    which such person is said to be in violation and a
24    statement of the manner in and the extent to which such
25    person is said to violate the Act, rule, regulation,
26    permit, or term or condition thereof and shall require the

 

 

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1    person so complained against to answer the charges of such
2    formal complaint at a hearing before the Board at a time
3    not less than 21 days after the date of notice by the
4    Board, except as provided in Section 34 of this Act. Such
5    complaint shall be accompanied by a notification to the
6    defendant that financing may be available, through the
7    Illinois Environmental Facilities Financing Act, to
8    correct such violation. A copy of such notice of such
9    hearings shall also be sent to any person that has
10    complained to the Agency respecting the respondent within
11    the six months preceding the date of the complaint, and to
12    any person in the county in which the offending activity
13    occurred that has requested notice of enforcement
14    proceedings; 21 days notice of such hearings shall also be
15    published in a newspaper of general circulation in such
16    county. The respondent may file a written answer, and at
17    such hearing the rules prescribed in Sections 32 and 33 of
18    this Act shall apply. In the case of actual or threatened
19    acts outside Illinois contributing to environmental damage
20    in Illinois, the extraterritorial service-of-process
21    provisions of Sections 2-208 and 2-209 of the Code of Civil
22    Procedure shall apply.
23        With respect to notices served pursuant to this
24    subsection (c)(1) that involve hazardous material or
25    wastes in any manner, the Agency shall annually publish a
26    list of all such notices served. The list shall include the

 

 

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1    date the investigation commenced, the date notice was sent,
2    the date the matter was referred to the Attorney General,
3    if applicable, and the current status of the matter.
4        (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1)
5    of this subsection (c), whenever a complaint has been filed
6    on behalf of the Agency or by the People of the State of
7    Illinois, the parties may file with the Board a stipulation
8    and proposal for settlement accompanied by a request for
9    relief from the requirement of a hearing pursuant to
10    subdivision (1). Unless the Board, in its discretion,
11    concludes that a hearing will be held, the Board shall
12    cause notice of the stipulation, proposal and request for
13    relief to be published and sent in the same manner as is
14    required for hearing pursuant to subdivision (1) of this
15    subsection. The notice shall include a statement that any
16    person may file a written demand for hearing within 21 days
17    after receiving the notice. If any person files a timely
18    written demand for hearing, the Board shall deny the
19    request for relief from a hearing and shall hold a hearing
20    in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (1).
21        (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1)
22    of this subsection (c), if the Agency becomes aware of a
23    violation of this Act arising from, or as a result of,
24    voluntary pollution prevention activities, the Agency
25    shall not proceed with the written notice required by
26    subsection (a) of this Section unless:

 

 

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1            (A) the person fails to take corrective action or
2        eliminate the reported violation within a reasonable
3        time; or
4            (B) the Agency believes that the violation poses a
5        substantial and imminent danger to the public health or
6        welfare or the environment. For the purposes of this
7        item (B), "substantial and imminent danger" means a
8        danger with a likelihood of serious or irreversible
9        harm.
10        (d)(1) Any person may file with the Board a complaint,
11    meeting the requirements of subsection (c) of this Section,
12    against any person allegedly violating this Act, any rule
13    or regulation adopted under this Act, any permit or term or
14    condition of a permit, or any Board order. The complainant
15    shall immediately serve a copy of such complaint upon the
16    person or persons named therein. Unless the Board
17    determines that such complaint is duplicative or
18    frivolous, it shall schedule a hearing and serve written
19    notice thereof upon the person or persons named therein, in
20    accord with subsection (c) of this Section.
21        (2) Whenever a complaint has been filed by a person
22    other than the Attorney General or the State's Attorney,
23    the parties may file with the Board a stipulation and
24    proposal for settlement accompanied by a request for relief
25    from the hearing requirement of subdivision (c)(1) of this
26    Section. Unless the Board, in its discretion, concludes

 

 

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1    that a hearing should be held, no hearing on the
2    stipulation and proposal for settlement is required.
3    (e) In hearings before the Board under this Title the
4burden shall be on the Agency or other complainant to show
5either that the respondent has caused or threatened to cause
6air or water pollution or that the respondent has violated or
7threatens to violate any provision of this Act or any rule or
8regulation of the Board or permit or term or condition thereof.
9If such proof has been made, the burden shall be on the
10respondent to show that compliance with the Board's regulations
11would impose an arbitrary or unreasonable hardship.
12    (f) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to
13administrative citation actions commenced under Section 31.1
14of this Act.
15(Source: P.A. 97-519, eff. 8-23-11.)
 
16    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
17becoming law.