103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB3632

 

Introduced 2/17/2023, by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
220 ILCS 5/8-406.3 new

    Amends the Public Utilities Act. Creates the Disadvantaged Communities Protection Commission comprised of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that available energy sources appropriately benefit and do not inappropriately burden such communities. Specifies duties for the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall make a recommendation to the Governor and the energy company proposing an energy project if there are any current or potential threats or anticipated burdens resulting from a proposed energy project. Provides that the Commission will work with the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to establish and maintain a statewide advanced leak detection standard for all pipeline operators. Provides that this standard shall require pipeline operators to find and repair leaks on the operators' system, including those previously designated as nonhazardous. Provides that funding shall be made available for disadvantaged communities to build better infrastructure to safeguard against gas pipeline adversities.


LRB103 30496 AMQ 56929 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3632LRB103 30496 AMQ 56929 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding
5Section 8-406.3 as follows:
 
6    (220 ILCS 5/8-406.3 new)
7    Sec. 8-406.3. Disadvantaged Communities Protection
8Commission.
9    (a) As used in this Section:
10    "Commission" means the Disadvantaged Communities
11Protection Commission created under subsection (b).
12    (b) For the protection of disadvantaged, vulnerable, or
13marginalized communities in need of energy solutions
14throughout this State, the Disadvantaged Communities
15Protection Commission is formed, which shall be comprised of
16the Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental
17Protection Agency to ensure that available energy sources
18appropriately benefit and do not inappropriately burden such
19communities. The Commission shall jointly conduct:
20    (1) a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the proposed
21    energy project, which shall include socioeconomic, public
22    health, and environmental risk factors in addition to
23    vulnerabilities that may affect the costs and benefits of

 

 

HB3632- 2 -LRB103 30496 AMQ 56929 b

1    the proposed energy project; and
2    (2) an accounting of the social cost of greenhouse gases
3    and consideration of any unique economic, environmental,
4    and ecological impacts of the energy project on
5    disadvantaged, vulnerable, or marginalized communities.
6The Commission shall advocate for such communities to ensure
7that the energy project is net-beneficial as a whole. Further,
8the Commission shall advocate for renewable energy options for
9such communities, considering affordability, sustainability,
10distributional impacts, and impacts on the affected
11environment. The Commission's analysis shall also evaluate
12rate estimates for energy options.
13    (c) The Commission shall make a recommendation to the
14Governor and the energy company proposing an energy project if
15there are any current or potential threats or anticipated
16burdens resulting from a proposed energy project.
17    (d) The Commission shall work with the federal Pipeline
18and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to establish and
19maintain a statewide advanced leak detection standard for all
20pipeline operators, including local distribution companies.
21This standard shall require pipeline operators to find and
22repair leaks on the operators' system, including those
23previously designated as nonhazardous.
24    (e) Funding shall be made available for disadvantaged
25communities to build better infrastructure to safeguard
26against gas pipeline adversities.