State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Engrossed ][ Senate Amendment 001 ]
[ Senate Amendment 002 ]

90_SB0815enr

      415 ILCS 5/Title IV-A heading
      415 ILCS 5/19.1           from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.1
      415 ILCS 5/19.2           from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.2
      415 ILCS 5/19.3           from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.3
      415 ILCS 5/19.4           from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.4
      415 ILCS 5/19.5           from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.5
      415 ILCS 5/19.6           from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.6
      415 ILCS 5/19.8           from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.8
          Amends the Environmental  Protection  Act.   Creates  the
      Public  Water  Supply  Loan Program to be administered by the
      Environmental  Protection   Agency   to   provide   financial
      assistance  to local government units in their development of
      public water supplies.  Provides that this Program, the Water
      Pollution Control Loan Program, and the Loan Support  Program
      comprise  the Water Revolving Fund (formerly, Water Pollution
      Control Revolving Fund). Expands the uses of the Loan Support
      Program to include, among others, financing costs incurred by
      the Agency to provide technical and administrative assistance
      relating to public water systems.  Vests the Agency with  the
      authority to set by rule special loan terms for disadvantaged
      communities  and  maximum  limits  on annual distributions of
      funds to loan applicants.  Effective immediately.
                                                     LRB9000167DPdv
SB815 Enrolled                                 LRB9000167DPdv
 1        AN ACT to  amend  the  Environmental  Protection  Act  by
 2    changing  the  heading of Title IV-A and Sections 19.1, 19.2,
 3    19.3, 19.4, 19.5, 19.6, and 19.8.
 4        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 5    represented in the General Assembly:
 6        Section  5.   The Environmental Protection Act is amended
 7    by changing the heading of  Title  IV-A  and  Sections  19.1,
 8    19.2, 19.3, 19.4, 19.5, 19.6, and 19.8 as follows:
 9        (415 ILCS 5/Title IV-A heading)
10                 TITLE IV-A: WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
11                      AND PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES
12        (415 ILCS 5/19.1) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.1)
13        Sec.  19.1.   Legislative findings.  The General Assembly
14    finds:
15        (a)  that local government units  require  assistance  in
16    financing  the  construction of wastewater treatment works in
17    order to comply with the  State's  program  of  environmental
18    protection and federally mandated requirements; and
19        (b)  that  the federal Water Quality Act of 1987 provides
20    an  important  source  of  grant  awards  to  the  State  for
21    providing assistance to local government  units  through  the
22    Water Pollution Control Loan Program; Revolving Fund.
23        (c)  that  local  government  units require assistance in
24    financing the construction of their public water supplies  to
25    comply  with  State  and  federal  drinking  water  laws  and
26    regulations;
27        (d)  that  the  federal Safe Drinking Water Act ("SDWA"),
28    P.L.  93-532,  as  now  or  hereafter  amended,  provides  an
29    important source of capitalization grant awards to the  State
30    to  provide  assistance to local government units through the
SB815 Enrolled              -2-                LRB9000167DPdv
 1    Public Water Supply Loan Program; and
 2        (e)  that violations of State and federal drinking  water
 3    standards  threaten the public interest, safety, and welfare,
 4    which demands  that  the  Illinois  Environmental  Protection
 5    Agency  expeditiously adopt emergency rules to administer the
 6    Public Water Supply Loan Program.
 7    (Source: P.A. 85-1135.)
 8        (415 ILCS 5/19.2) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.2)
 9        Sec. 19.2.  As used in this  Title,  unless  the  context
10    clearly requires otherwise:
11        (a)  "Agency" means the Illinois Environmental Protection
12    Agency.
13        (b)  "Fund"  means  the Water Pollution Control Revolving
14    Fund created pursuant to this Title, consisting of the  Water
15    Pollution  Control Loan Program, the Public Water Supply Loan
16    Program, and the Loan Support Program.
17        (c)  "Loan" means a loan made from  the  Water  Pollution
18    Control  Loan Program or the Public Water Supply Loan Program
19    to an eligible  local  government  unit  as  a  result  of  a
20    contractual agreement between the Agency and such unit.
21        (d)  "Construction"   means   any  one  or  more  of  the
22    following  which  is  undertaken  for   a   public   purpose:
23    preliminary  planning  to  determine  the  feasibility of the
24    treatment  works  or  public   water   supply,   engineering,
25    architectural,  legal,  fiscal  or economic investigations or
26    studies,   surveys,   designs,   plans,   working   drawings,
27    specifications,  procedures  or  other   necessary   actions,
28    erection,   building,  acquisition,  alteration,  remodeling,
29    improvement or extension of treatment works or  public  water
30    supplies,  or  the  inspection  or  supervision of any of the
31    foregoing items.  "Construction" also includes implementation
32    of source water quality protection measures and establishment
33    and  implementation  of  wellhead  protection   programs   in
SB815 Enrolled              -3-                LRB9000167DPdv
 1    accordance  with  Section  1452(k)(1)  of  the  federal  Safe
 2    Drinking Water Act.
 3        (e)  "Intended  use  plan"  means a plan which includes a
 4    description of the short and long term goals  and  objectives
 5    of  the  Water  Pollution Control Loan Program and the Public
 6    Water Supply  Loan  Program,  project  categories,  discharge
 7    requirements,   terms   of   financial   assistance  and  the
 8    communities to be served.
 9        (f)  "Treatment works"  means  any  devices  and  systems
10    owned  by  a  local  government unit and used in the storage,
11    treatment, recycling,  and  reclamation  of  or  sewerage  or
12    industrial  wastes of a liquid nature, including intercepting
13    sewers, outfall sewers, sewage  collection  systems,  pumping
14    power   and   other   equipment,   and  their  appurtenances;
15    extensions,   improvements,   remodeling,   additions,    and
16    alterations thereof; elements essential to provide a reliable
17    recycled  supply,  such  as standby treatment units and clear
18    well facilities; and any works, including site acquisition of
19    the land that will be  an  integral  part  of  the  treatment
20    process for wastewater facilities.
21        (g)  "Local    government    unit"    means   a   county,
22    municipality,  township,  municipal  or  county  sewerage  or
23    utility authority, sanitary district, public water  district,
24    improvement  authority  or  any  other  political subdivision
25    whose primary purpose is to construct, operate  and  maintain
26    wastewater   treatment  facilities  or  public  water  supply
27    facilities or both.
28    (Source: P.A. 89-27, eff. 1-1-96.)
29        (415 ILCS 5/19.3) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.3)
30        Sec. 19.3.  Water Revolving Fund.
31        (a) There is hereby created within the State  Treasury  a
32    an  interest  bearing  special  fund to be known as the Water
33    Pollution   Control   Revolving   Fund,   consisting   of   3
SB815 Enrolled              -4-                LRB9000167DPdv
 1    interest-bearing special 2 programs to be known as the  Water
 2    Pollution  Control Loan Program, the Public Water Supply Loan
 3    Program, and the Loan Support Program, which  shall  be  used
 4    and administered by the Agency.
 5        (b) (a-1)  The Water Pollution Control Loan Program shall
 6    be  used and administered by the Agency to provide assistance
 7    to local government units for the following public purposes:
 8             (1)  to accept and retain funds from  grant  awards,
 9        appropriations,  transfers,  and payments of interest and
10        principal;
11             (2)  to  make  direct  loans  at  or  below   market
12        interest  rates  to any eligible local government unit to
13        finance the construction of wastewater treatments works;
14             (3)  to  make  direct  loans  at  or  below   market
15        interest  rates  to any eligible local government unit to
16        buy or refinance debt  obligations  for  treatment  works
17        work incurred after March 7, 1985;
18             (4)  to  guarantee  or  purchase insurance for local
19        obligations where such action would improve credit market
20        access or reduce interest rates;
21             (5)  as a source of  revenue  or  security  for  the
22        payment  of  principal and interest on revenue or general
23        obligation bonds issued by the State, if the proceeds  of
24        such bonds will be deposited in the Fund; and
25             (6)  to finance the reasonable costs incurred by the
26        Agency in the administration of the Fund; and.
27             (7)  to  transfer  funds  to the Public Water Supply
28        Loan Program.
29        (c) (a-2)  The Loan Support Program  shall  be  used  and
30    administered by the Agency for the following purposes:
31             (1)  to  accept  and  retain funds from grant awards
32        and appropriations;
33             (2) (1)  to finance the reasonable costs incurred by
34        the Agency in the administration of the  Fund,  including
SB815 Enrolled              -5-                LRB9000167DPdv
 1        activities  under  Title  III  of this Act, including the
 2        administration of the State construction grant program;
 3             (3) (2)  to transfer funds to  the  Water  Pollution
 4        Control  Loan  Program  and  the Public Water Supply Loan
 5        Program;
 6             (4) (3)  to accept and retain a portion of the  loan
 7        repayments; and
 8             (5)  (4)  to  finance  the  development  of  the low
 9        interest loan program for public water supply projects;.
10             (6)  to finance the reasonable costs incurred by the
11        Agency to provide technical assistance for  public  water
12        supplies; and
13             (7)  to finance the reasonable costs incurred by the
14        Agency  for  public water system supervision programs, to
15        administer or provide for  technical  assistance  through
16        source   water   protection   programs,  to  develop  and
17        implement a capacity development strategy,  to  delineate
18        and  assess  source  water  protection  areas, and for an
19        operator certification program in accordance with Section
20        1452 of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
21        (d)  The Public Water Supply Loan Program shall  be  used
22    and administered by the Agency to provide assistance to local
23    government  units for public water supplies for the following
24    public purposes:
25             (1)  to accept and retain funds from  grant  awards,
26        appropriations,  transfers,  and payments of interest and
27        principal;
28             (2)  to  make  direct  loans  at  or  below   market
29        interest  rates  to any eligible local government unit to
30        finance the construction of public water supplies;
31             (3)  to buy or refinance the debt  obligation  of  a
32        local  government unit for costs incurred on or after the
33        effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997;
34             (4)  to  guarantee  local  obligations  where   such
SB815 Enrolled              -6-                LRB9000167DPdv
 1        action  would  improve  credit  market  access  or reduce
 2        interest rates;
 3             (5)  as a source of  revenue  or  security  for  the
 4        payment  of  principal and interest on revenue or general
 5        obligation bonds issued by the State, if the proceeds  of
 6        such bonds will be deposited into the Fund; and
 7             (6)  to   transfer  funds  to  the  Water  Pollution
 8        Control Loan Program.
 9        (e) (b)  The Agency is designated  as  the  administering
10    agency  of the Fund.  The Agency shall submit to the Regional
11    Administrator of the United States  Environmental  Protection
12    Agency  an  intended use plan which outlines the proposed use
13    of funds available to the State.  The Agency shall  take  all
14    actions  necessary to secure to the State the benefits of the
15    federal Water Pollution Control  Act  and  the  federal  Safe
16    Drinking Water Act, as now or hereafter amended.
17    (Source: P.A. 89-27, eff. 1-1-96.)
18        (415 ILCS 5/19.4) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.4)
19        Sec.  19.4.  The  Agency  shall  have  the  authority  to
20    promulgate  regulations  to set forth procedures and criteria
21    concerning loan applications, assurance of payment,  interest
22    rates,   loan   support   rates,   impact  on  user  charges,
23    eligibility of proposed construction, and priority of  needs,
24    special loan terms for disadvantaged communities, and maximum
25    limits  on  annual  distributions  of  funds to applicants or
26    groups of applicants.  The Agency shall develop and  maintain
27    a  priority  list  of loan applicants as categorized by need.
28    Priority in making loans from  the  Water  Pollution  Control
29    Loan  Program  Fund  must  first be given to local government
30    units which need to  make  capital  improvements  to  achieve
31    compliance  with  National  Pollutant  Discharge  Elimination
32    System  permit  requirements  pursuant  to  the federal Water
33    Quality Act of 1987 and this Act. Priority  in  making  loans
SB815 Enrolled              -7-                LRB9000167DPdv
 1    from the Public Water Supply Loan Program must first be given
 2    to   local   government  units  that  need  to  make  capital
 3    improvements  to  protect  human  health   and   to   achieve
 4    compliance  with the State and federal primary drinking water
 5    standards adopted pursuant to this Act and the  federal  Safe
 6    Drinking Water Act, as now and hereafter amended.
 7    (Source: P.A. 89-27, eff. 1-1-96.)
 8        (415 ILCS 5/19.5) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.5)
 9        Sec. 19.5.  Loans; repayment.
10        (a)  The  Agency  shall  have the authority to make loans
11    for a public  purpose  to  local  government  units  for  the
12    construction  of  treatment  works  and public water supplies
13    pursuant to the regulations promulgated under Section 19.4.
14        (b)  Loans made from the Fund shall provide for:
15             (1)  a schedule of disbursement of proceeds;
16             (2)  a fixed rate that includes  interest  and  loan
17        support  based  upon  priority, but the loan support rate
18        shall not exceed one-half of the fixed  rate  established
19        for each loan;
20             (3)  a schedule of repayment not to exceed 20 years;
21             (4)  initiation  of  principal repayments within one
22        year after the project is operational; and
23             (5)  a confession of judgment upon default.
24        (c) (b-1)  The Agency may amend existing loans to include
25    a loan support rate only if the  overall  cost  to  the  loan
26    recipient is not increased.
27        (d) (c)  A local government unit shall secure the payment
28    of  its  obligations  to  the  Fund  by a dedicated source of
29    repayment, including revenues derived from the imposition  of
30    rates, fees and charges.  In the event of a delinquency as to
31    payments  to the Fund, the local government unit shall revise
32    its rates, fees and charges to meet its obligations.
33    (Source: P.A. 89-27, eff. 1-1-96.)
SB815 Enrolled              -8-                LRB9000167DPdv
 1        (415 ILCS 5/19.6) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.6)
 2        Sec. 19.6.  Delinquent loan repayment.
 3        (a)  In the event that a timely payment is not made by  a
 4    local  government  unit  according  to  the  loan schedule of
 5    repayment, the local government unit shall notify the  Agency
 6    in  writing  within  15 days after the payment due date.  The
 7    notification shall include a statement  of  the  reasons  the
 8    payment  was  not  timely  tendered,  the circumstances under
 9    which the  late  payments  will  be  satisfied,  and  binding
10    commitments to assure future payments.  After receipt of this
11    notification,   the  Agency  shall  confirm  in  writing  the
12    acceptability of the plan or take action in  accordance  with
13    subsection (b) of this Section.
14        (b)  In  the  event that a local government unit fails to
15    comply with subsection (a) of this Section, the Agency  shall
16    promptly   issue   a  notice  of  delinquency  to  the  local
17    government unit which shall require a written response within
18    30 days.  The notice of delinquency shall  require  that  the
19    local  government  unit revise its rates, fees and charges to
20    meet its  obligations  pursuant  to  subsection  (d)  (c)  of
21    Section  19.5  or  take  other  specified  actions  as may be
22    appropriate to remedy the delinquency and  to  assure  future
23    payments.
24        (c)  In the event that the local government unit fails to
25    timely  or  adequately respond to a notice of delinquency, or
26    fails to meet its obligations made  pursuant  to  subsections
27    (a)  and  (b)  of  this  Section, the Agency shall pursue the
28    collection of the amounts  past  due,  the  outstanding  loan
29    balance  and  the  costs thereby incurred, either pursuant to
30    the Illinois State Collection Act of 1986  or  by  any  other
31    reasonable means as may be provided by law.
32    (Source: P.A. 85-1135.)
33        (415 ILCS 5/19.8) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1019.8)
SB815 Enrolled              -9-                LRB9000167DPdv
 1        Sec. 19.8.  Advisory committees; reports.
 2        (a)  The  Director of the Agency shall appoint committees
 3    a Committee to advise the  Agency  concerning  the  financial
 4    structure  of  the  Programs  Fund.  The committees Committee
 5    shall  consist  of  representatives  from  appropriate  State
 6    agencies, the financial community, engineering societies  and
 7    other  interested  parties.   The  committees Committee shall
 8    meet periodically at least  annually  and  members  shall  be
 9    reimbursed for their ordinary and necessary expenses incurred
10    in the performance of their committee the Committee's duties.
11        (b)  The  Agency  shall report to the General Assembly by
12    June 30, 1998 regarding the feasibility of providing drinking
13    water loans to not-for-profit community water  supplies  that
14    serve  units of local government and to investor-owned public
15    utilities.  The report shall include a detailed discussion of
16    all  relevant  factors  and  shall include participation from
17    representatives of the affected entities.
18    (Source: P.A. 85-1135.)
19        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
20    becoming law.

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