103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB3383

 

Introduced 2/17/2023, by Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
415 ILCS 5/13.6

    Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In provisions concerning the release of radionuclides at nuclear facilities, changes references from nuclear power plants to nuclear facilities. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall be notified in matters of noncommunity water system contamination, and the Environmental Protection Agency shall be notified in matters of community water system contamination. Provides that community water systems designated by the Agency and the Department as utilizing waters contaminated by effluents from nuclear facilities must sample for beta particle and photon radioactivity. Provides that the supplier of water must collect quarterly samples for beta emitters and iodine-131 and annual samples for tritium and strontium-90 at each entry point to the distribution system, or a sampling point, beginning within one quarter after being notified by the Agency or the Department. Provides that systems already designated by the Agency or the Department as systems using waters contaminated by effluents from nuclear facilities must continue to sample until the Agency or the Department reviews and either reaffirms or removes the designation. Makes corresponding changes.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB3383LRB103 29411 CPF 55802 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 13.6 as follows:
 
6    (415 ILCS 5/13.6)
7    Sec. 13.6. Release of radionuclides at nuclear facilities
8power plants.
9    (a) The purpose of this Section is to require the
10detection and reporting of unpermitted releases of any
11radionuclides into groundwater, surface water, or soil at
12nuclear facilities power plants, to the extent that federal
13law or regulation does not preempt such requirements.
14    (b) No owner or operator of a nuclear facility power plant
15shall violate any rule adopted under this Section.
16    (c) Within 24 hours after an unpermitted release of a
17radionuclide from a nuclear facility power plant, the owner or
18operator of the nuclear facility power plant where the release
19occurred shall report the release to the Agency and the
20Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The Department of Public
21Health shall be notified in matters of noncommunity water
22system contamination, and the Agency shall be notified in
23matters of community water system contamination. For purposes

 

 

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1of this Section, "unpermitted release of a radionuclide" means
2any spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, escaping,
3leaching, or disposing of a radionuclide into groundwater,
4surface water, or soil that is not permitted under State or
5federal law or regulation.
6    (d) The Agency and the Illinois Emergency Management
7Agency shall inspect each nuclear facility power plant for
8compliance with the requirements of this Section and rules
9adopted pursuant to this Section no less than once each
10calendar quarter. Nothing in this Section shall limit the
11Agency's authority to make inspections under Section 4 or any
12other provision of this Act.
13    (d-5) The owner or operator of each community water system
14that is designated by the Agency or the Department of Public
15Health as utilizing waters that are contaminated by effluents
16from nuclear facilities, including, but not limited to, those
17systems that use surface water or groundwater as a source,
18must sample for beta particle and photon radioactivity. Within
19one quarter after being notified by the Agency or the
20Department of Public Health, the owner or operator must
21collect quarterly samples for beta emitters and iodine-131 and
22annual samples for tritium and strontium-90 at each entry
23point to the distribution system or at another approved
24sampling point. Systems already designated by the Agency or
25the Department of Public Health as systems using waters
26contaminated by effluents from nuclear facilities must

 

 

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1continue to sample until the Agency or the Department of
2Public Health reviews and either reaffirms or removes the
3designation.
4        (1) Quarterly monitoring for gross beta particle
5    activity shall be based on the analysis of monthly samples
6    or the analysis of a composite of 3 monthly samples, which
7    is recommended.
8        (2) For iodine-131, a composite of 5 consecutive daily
9    samples shall be analyzed once each quarter. As ordered by
10    the Department of Public Health, more frequent monitoring
11    shall be conducted when iodine-131 is identified in the
12    finished water.
13        (3) Annual monitoring for strontium-90 and tritium
14    shall be conducted by means of the analysis of a composite
15    of 4 consecutive quarterly samples or analysis of 4
16    quarterly samples, which is recommended.
17        (4) For systems in a 5-mile radius of a nuclear
18    facility, the Department of Public Health must monitor at
19    the system's entry point or points to evaluate the level
20    of radionuclide release from a nuclear facility.
21        (5) Community water systems designated by the Agency
22    to monitor for beta particle and photon radioactivity
23    cannot apply to the Department of Public health for a
24    waiver from the monitoring frequencies.
25    (e) No later than one year after the effective date of this
26amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, the Agency, in

 

 

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1consultation with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and
2the Department of Health, shall propose rules to the Board
3prescribing standards for detecting and reporting unpermitted
4releases of radionuclides and contaminants within community
5and noncommunity water supplies. If the level of any
6contaminant found in water collected within a distribution
7system or at a sampling point at the entry to a distribution
8system, poses an unacceptable health risk to consumers, acting
9alone or in combination with other contaminants, the supplier
10of water shall take appropriate actions to reduce the level of
11contaminant concentrations to levels deemed safe or remove the
12source of supply from service by the deadline specified by the
13Agency and the Department of Public Health. The supplier of
14water shall be required to monitor the source, provide public
15notification, and notify the Agency and the Department of
16Public Health. No later than one year after receipt of the
17Agency's proposal, the Board shall adopt rules prescribing
18standards for detecting and reporting unpermitted releases of
19radionuclides.
20(Source: P.A. 94-849, eff. 6-12-06; 95-66, eff. 8-13-07.)