SB3156 EngrossedLRB100 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 Section 31 as follows:
 
6    (415 ILCS 5/31)  (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1031)
7    Sec. 31. Notice; complaint; hearing.
8    (a)(1) Within 180 days after becoming aware of an alleged
9    violation of the Act, any rule adopted under the Act, a
10    permit granted by the Agency, or a condition of such a
11    permit, the Agency shall issue and serve, by certified
12    mail, upon the person complained against a written notice
13    informing that person that the Agency has evidence of the
14    alleged violation. At a minimum, the written notice shall
15    contain:
16            (A) a notification to the person complained
17        against of the requirement to submit a written response
18        addressing the violations alleged and the option to
19        meet with appropriate agency personnel to resolve any
20        alleged violations that could lead to the filing of a
21        formal complaint;
22            (B) a detailed explanation by the Agency of the
23        violations alleged;

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 2 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1            (C) an explanation by the Agency of the actions
2        that the Agency believes may resolve the alleged
3        violations, including an estimate of a reasonable time
4        period for the person complained against to complete
5        the suggested resolution; and
6            (D) an explanation of any alleged violation that
7        the Agency believes cannot be resolved without the
8        involvement of the Office of the Illinois Attorney
9        General or the State's Attorney of the county in which
10        the alleged violation occurred and the basis for the
11        Agency's belief.
12        (2) A written response to the violations alleged shall
13    be submitted to the Agency, by certified mail, within 45
14    days after receipt of notice by the person complained
15    against, unless the Agency agrees to an extension. The
16    written response shall include:
17            (A) information in rebuttal, explanation or
18        justification of each alleged violation;
19            (B) if the person complained against desires to
20        enter into a Compliance Commitment Agreement, proposed
21        terms for a Compliance Commitment Agreement that
22        includes specified times for achieving each commitment
23        and which may consist of a statement indicating that
24        the person complained against believes that compliance
25        has been achieved; and
26            (C) a request for a meeting with appropriate Agency

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 3 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1        personnel if a meeting is desired by the person
2        complained against.
3        (3) If the person complained against fails to respond
4    in accordance with the requirements of subdivision (2) of
5    this subsection (a), the failure to respond shall be
6    considered a waiver of the requirements of this subsection
7    (a) and nothing in this Section shall preclude the Agency
8    from proceeding pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section.
9        (4) A meeting requested pursuant to subdivision (2) of
10    this subsection (a) shall be held without a representative
11    of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General or the
12    State's Attorney of the county in which the alleged
13    violation occurred, within 60 days after receipt of notice
14    by the person complained against, unless the Agency agrees
15    to a postponement. At the meeting, the Agency shall provide
16    an opportunity for the person complained against to respond
17    to each alleged violation, suggested resolution, and
18    suggested implementation time frame, and to suggest
19    alternate resolutions.
20        (5) If a meeting requested pursuant to subdivision (2)
21    of this subsection (a) is held, the person complained
22    against shall, within 21 days following the meeting or
23    within an extended time period as agreed to by the Agency,
24    submit by certified mail to the Agency a written response
25    to the alleged violations. The written response shall
26    include:

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 4 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1            (A) additional information in rebuttal,
2        explanation, or justification of each alleged
3        violation;
4            (B) if the person complained against desires to
5        enter into a Compliance Commitment Agreement, proposed
6        terms for a Compliance Commitment Agreement that
7        includes specified times for achieving each commitment
8        and which may consist of a statement indicating that
9        the person complained against believes that compliance
10        has been achieved; and
11            (C) a statement indicating that, should the person
12        complained against so wish, the person complained
13        against chooses to rely upon the initial written
14        response submitted pursuant to subdivision (2) of this
15        subsection (a).
16        (6) If the person complained against fails to respond
17    in accordance with the requirements of subdivision (5) of
18    this subsection (a), the failure to respond shall be
19    considered a waiver of the requirements of this subsection
20    (a) and nothing in this Section shall preclude the Agency
21    from proceeding pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section.
22        (7) Within 30 days after the Agency's receipt of a
23    written response submitted by the person complained
24    against pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection (a)
25    if a meeting is not requested or pursuant to subdivision
26    (5) of this subsection (a) if a meeting is held, or within

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 5 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1    a later time period as agreed to by the Agency and the
2    person complained against, the Agency shall issue and
3    serve, by certified mail, upon the person complained
4    against (i) a proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement or
5    (ii) a notice that one or more violations cannot be
6    resolved without the involvement of the Office of the
7    Attorney General or the State's Attorney of the county in
8    which the alleged violation occurred and that no proposed
9    Compliance Commitment Agreement will be issued by the
10    Agency for those violations. The Agency shall include terms
11    and conditions in the proposed Compliance Commitment
12    Agreement that are, in its discretion, necessary to bring
13    the person complained against into compliance with the Act,
14    any rule adopted under the Act, any permit granted by the
15    Agency, or any condition of such a permit. The Agency shall
16    take into consideration the proposed terms for the proposed
17    Compliance Commitment Agreement that were provided under
18    subdivision (a)(2)(B) or (a)(5)(B) of this Section by the
19    person complained against.
20        (7.5) Within 30 days after the receipt of the Agency's
21    proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement by the person
22    complained against, the person shall either (i) agree to
23    and sign the proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement
24    provided by the Agency and submit the signed Compliance
25    Commitment Agreement to the Agency by certified mail or
26    (ii) notify the Agency in writing by certified mail of the

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 6 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1    person's rejection of the proposed Compliance Commitment
2    Agreement. If the person complained against fails to
3    respond to the proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement
4    within 30 days as required under this paragraph, the
5    proposed Compliance Commitment Agreement is deemed
6    rejected by operation of law. Any Compliance Commitment
7    Agreement entered into under item (i) of this paragraph may
8    be amended subsequently in writing by mutual agreement
9    between the Agency and the signatory to the Compliance
10    Commitment Agreement, the signatory's legal
11    representative, or the signatory's agent.
12        (7.6) No person shall violate the terms or conditions
13    of a Compliance Commitment Agreement entered into under
14    subdivision (a)(7.5) of this Section. Successful
15    completion of a Compliance Commitment Agreement or an
16    amended Compliance Commitment Agreement shall be a factor
17    to be weighed, in favor of the person completing the
18    Agreement, by the Office of the Illinois Attorney General
19    in determining whether to file a complaint for the
20    violations that were the subject of the Agreement.
21        (7.7) Within 30 days after a Compliance Commitment
22    Agreement takes effect or is amended in accordance with
23    paragraph (7.5), the Agency shall publish a copy of the
24    final executed Compliance Commitment Agreement on the
25    Agency's website. The Agency shall maintain an Internet
26    database of all Compliance Commitment Agreements entered

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 7 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1    on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of
2    the 100th General Assembly. At a minimum, the database
3    shall be searchable by the following categories: the county
4    in which the facility that is subject to the Compliance
5    Commitment Agreement is located; the date of final
6    execution of the Compliance Commitment Agreement; the name
7    of the respondent; and the media involved, including air,
8    water, land, or public water supply.
9        (8) Nothing in this subsection (a) is intended to
10    require the Agency to enter into Compliance Commitment
11    Agreements for any alleged violation that the Agency
12    believes cannot be resolved without the involvement of the
13    Office of the Attorney General or the State's Attorney of
14    the county in which the alleged violation occurred, for,
15    among other purposes, the imposition of statutory
16    penalties.
17        (9) The Agency's failure to respond within 30 days to a
18    written response submitted pursuant to subdivision (2) of
19    this subsection (a) if a meeting is not requested or
20    pursuant to subdivision (5) of this subsection (a) if a
21    meeting is held, or within the time period otherwise agreed
22    to in writing by the Agency and the person complained
23    against, shall be deemed an acceptance by the Agency of the
24    proposed terms of the Compliance Commitment Agreement for
25    the violations alleged in the written notice issued under
26    subdivision (1) of this subsection (a) as contained within

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 8 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

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

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 9 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1disagreement between the Agency and the person complained
2against following fulfillment of the requirements of
3subsection (a) of this Section, and for alleged violations of
4the terms or conditions of a Compliance Commitment Agreement
5entered into under subdivision (a)(7.5) of this Section as well
6as the alleged violations that are the subject of the
7Compliance Commitment Agreement, and as a precondition to the
8Agency's referral or request to the Office of the Illinois
9Attorney General or the State's Attorney of the county in which
10the alleged violation occurred for legal representation
11regarding an alleged violation that may be addressed pursuant
12to subsection (c) or (d) of this Section or pursuant to Section
1342 of this Act, the Agency shall issue and serve, by certified
14mail, upon the person complained against a written notice
15informing that person that the Agency intends to pursue legal
16action. Such notice shall notify the person complained against
17of the violations to be alleged and offer the person an
18opportunity to meet with appropriate Agency personnel in an
19effort to resolve any alleged violations that could lead to the
20filing of a formal complaint. The meeting with Agency personnel
21shall be held within 30 days after receipt of notice served
22pursuant to this subsection upon the person complained against,
23unless the Agency agrees to a postponement or the person
24notifies the Agency that he or she will not appear at a meeting
25within the 30-day time period. Nothing in this subsection is
26intended to preclude the Agency from following the provisions

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 10 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1of subsection (c) or (d) of this Section or from requesting the
2legal representation of the Office of the Illinois Attorney
3General or the State's Attorney of the county in which the
4alleged violations occurred for alleged violations which
5remain the subject of disagreement between the Agency and the
6person complained against after the provisions of this
7subsection are fulfilled.
8     (c)(1) For alleged violations which remain the subject of
9    disagreement between the Agency and the person complained
10    against following waiver pursuant to subdivision (10) of
11    subsection (a) of this Section or fulfillment of the
12    requirements of subsections (a) and (b) of this Section,
13    the Office of the Illinois Attorney General or the State's
14    Attorney of the county in which the alleged violation
15    occurred shall issue and serve upon the person complained
16    against a written notice, together with a formal complaint,
17    which shall specify the provision of the Act, rule,
18    regulation, permit, or term or condition thereof under
19    which such person is said to be in violation and a
20    statement of the manner in and the extent to which such
21    person is said to violate the Act, rule, regulation,
22    permit, or term or condition thereof and shall require the
23    person so complained against to answer the charges of such
24    formal complaint at a hearing before the Board at a time
25    not less than 21 days after the date of notice by the
26    Board, except as provided in Section 34 of this Act. Such

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 11 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1    complaint shall be accompanied by a notification to the
2    defendant that financing may be available, through the
3    Illinois Environmental Facilities Financing Act, to
4    correct such violation. A copy of such notice of such
5    hearings shall also be sent to any person that has
6    complained to the Agency respecting the respondent within
7    the six months preceding the date of the complaint, and to
8    any person in the county in which the offending activity
9    occurred that has requested notice of enforcement
10    proceedings; 21 days notice of such hearings shall also be
11    published in a newspaper of general circulation in such
12    county. The respondent may file a written answer, and at
13    such hearing the rules prescribed in Sections 32 and 33 of
14    this Act shall apply. In the case of actual or threatened
15    acts outside Illinois contributing to environmental damage
16    in Illinois, the extraterritorial service-of-process
17    provisions of Sections 2-208 and 2-209 of the Code of Civil
18    Procedure shall apply.
19        With respect to notices served pursuant to this
20    subsection (c)(1) that involve hazardous material or
21    wastes in any manner, the Agency shall annually publish a
22    list of all such notices served. The list shall include the
23    date the investigation commenced, the date notice was sent,
24    the date the matter was referred to the Attorney General,
25    if applicable, and the current status of the matter.
26        (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1)

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 12 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

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

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 13 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1        substantial and imminent danger to the public health or
2        welfare or the environment. For the purposes of this
3        item (B), "substantial and imminent danger" means a
4        danger with a likelihood of serious or irreversible
5        harm.
6        (d)(1) Any person may file with the Board a complaint,
7    meeting the requirements of subsection (c) of this Section,
8    against any person allegedly violating this Act, any rule
9    or regulation adopted under this Act, any permit or term or
10    condition of a permit, or any Board order. The complainant
11    shall immediately serve a copy of such complaint upon the
12    person or persons named therein. Unless the Board
13    determines that such complaint is duplicative or
14    frivolous, it shall schedule a hearing and serve written
15    notice thereof upon the person or persons named therein, in
16    accord with subsection (c) of this Section.
17        (2) Whenever a complaint has been filed by a person
18    other than the Attorney General or the State's Attorney,
19    the parties may file with the Board a stipulation and
20    proposal for settlement accompanied by a request for relief
21    from the hearing requirement of subdivision (c)(1) of this
22    Section. Unless the Board, in its discretion, concludes
23    that a hearing should be held, no hearing on the
24    stipulation and proposal for settlement is required.
25    (e) In hearings before the Board under this Title the
26burden shall be on the Agency or other complainant to show

 

 

SB3156 Engrossed- 14 -LRB100 20113 MJP 35396 b

1either that the respondent has caused or threatened to cause
2air or water pollution or that the respondent has violated or
3threatens to violate any provision of this Act or any rule or
4regulation of the Board or permit or term or condition thereof.
5If such proof has been made, the burden shall be on the
6respondent to show that compliance with the Board's regulations
7would impose an arbitrary or unreasonable hardship.
8    (f) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to
9administrative citation actions commenced under Section 31.1
10of this Act.
11(Source: P.A. 97-519, eff. 8-23-11.)
 
12    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
13becoming law.