State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_SB0861

 
                                               LRB9201356LDtm

 1        AN ACT in relation to environmental matters.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.   The Environmental Protection Act is amended
 5    by changing Sections 52.3-1 and 52.3-2 as follows:

 6        (415 ILCS 5/52.3-1)
 7        Sec. 52.3-1.  Findings; purpose.
 8        (a)  The General Assembly finds that:
 9             (1)  During the last decade, considerable  expertise
10        in    pollution   prevention,   sophisticated   emissions
11        monitoring and tracking techniques,  compliance  auditing
12        methods,    stakeholder   involvement,   and   innovative
13        approaches to control pollution have been developed.
14             (2)  Substantial opportunities exist to  reduce  the
15        amount  of  or  prevent adverse impacts from emissions or
16        discharges of pollutants or wastes  through  the  use  of
17        innovative  and  cost  effective  measures  not currently
18        recognized by or  allowed  under  existing  environmental
19        laws, rules, and regulations.
20             (3)  There  are persons regulated under this Act who
21        have   demonstrated   excellence   and   leadership    in
22        environmental  compliance  or  stewardship  or  pollution
23        prevention  and, through the implementation of innovative
24        measures, who can achieve further reductions in emissions
25        or  discharges  of  pollutants  or  wastes  or  continued
26        environmental stewardship.
27             (4)  Current  environmental  laws  and   regulations
28        have,   in   some   instances,   resulted  in  burdensome
29        transactional requirements that are unnecessarily  costly
30        and  complex for regulated entities and have proven to be
31        frustrating  to  the  public  that  is  concerned   about
 
                            -2-                LRB9201356LDtm
 1        environmental protection.
 2             (5)  The  goals  of environmental protection will be
 3        best served by promoting and evaluating  the  efforts  of
 4        those  persons  who  are  ready to achieve measurable and
 5        verifiable  pollution  reductions  in   excess   of   the
 6        otherwise    applicable    statutory    and    regulatory
 7        requirements  or  who  can demonstrate real environmental
 8        risk  reduction,  promote  pollution  prevention,  foster
 9        superior  environmental  compliance  by   other   persons
10        regulated under this Act, and who can improve stakeholder
11        involvement in environmental decision making.
12             (6)  The   United  States  Environmental  Protection
13        Agency is operating a pilot program entitled  "Regulatory
14        Reinvention  (XL)  Pilot  Project,"  60  Federal Register
15        27282 (May 23,  1995)  (Federal  XL  Program),  to  allow
16        members  of  the  regulated  community the flexibility to
17        develop alternative strategies that will replace specific
18        regulatory  requirements  on  the  condition  that   they
19        produce    greater    environmental    benefits,   reduce
20        administrative burdens, and enhance public participation.
21        There should be a process that allows a proposal accepted
22        under the Federal XL Program to  be  implemented  at  the
23        State  level  if the proposal achieves one or more of the
24        purposes of this Section and is acceptable to the Agency.
25             (7)  A  process  for  implementing  and   evaluating
26        innovative  environmental  measures  on  a  pilot project
27        basis should be developed and implemented in this State.
28        (b)  It is the  purpose  of  this  Section  to  create  a
29    voluntary  pilot  program  by which the Agency may enter into
30    Environmental  Management  System  Agreements  with   persons
31    regulated    under   this   Act   to   implement   innovative
32    environmental measures not otherwise  recognized  or  allowed
33    under  existing  laws  and regulations of this State if those
34    measures:
 
                            -3-                LRB9201356LDtm
 1             (1)  achieve emissions reductions or  reductions  in
 2        discharges  or  wastes  beyond  the  otherwise applicable
 3        statutory and regulatory requirements  through  pollution
 4        prevention or other suitable means; or
 5             (2)  achieve  real  environmental  risk reduction or
 6        foster  environmental   compliance   by   other   persons
 7        regulated  under  this  Act  in  a manner that is clearly
 8        superior to the existing regulatory system.
 9        These Agreements may include proposals accepted under the
10    Federal XL Program, provided the  proposals  achieve  one  or
11    more purposes of subsection (b)(1) or (2) of this Section and
12    are acceptable to the Agency.
13        (c)  This   program   is   a   voluntary  pilot  program.
14    Participation is at the discretion of  the  Agency,  and  any
15    decision  by  the  Agency to reject an initial proposal under
16    this Section is not appealable.  The  Agency's  authority  to
17    execute initial Agreements under this Section shall terminate
18    on December 31, 2001. An initial Agreement may be renewed for
19    appropriate  time  5  year periods after December 31, 2001 if
20    the Agency finds the Agreement continues to  meet  applicable
21    requirements and the purposes of this Section.
22        (d)  The Agency shall develop and make publicly available
23    a  program  guidance  document regarding participation in the
24    pilot program.  A draft document  shall  be  distributed  for
25    review and comment by interested parties and a final document
26    shall  be  completed by December 1, 1996.  At a minimum, this
27    document shall include the following:
28             (1)  The approximate number  of  projects  that  the
29        Agency envisions being part of the pilot program.
30             (2)  The  types  of projects and facilities that the
31        Agency believes would be most useful to be a part of  the
32        pilot program.
33             (3)  A    description    of    potentially    useful
34        environmental management systems, such as ISO 14000.
 
                            -4-                LRB9201356LDtm
 1             (4)  A   description   of   suitable   Environmental
 2        Performance  Plans,  including  appropriate provisions or
 3        opportunities  for  promoting  pollution  prevention  and
 4        sustainable development.
 5             (5)  A description of practices  and  procedures  to
 6        ensure that performance is measurable and verifiable.
 7             (6)  A  characterization of less-preferred practices
 8        that  can   generate   adverse   consequences   such   as
 9        multi-media pollutant transfers.
10             (7)  A   description   of   suitable  practices  for
11        productive stakeholder involvement in project development
12        and implementation that may  include,  but  need  not  be
13        limited   to,   consensus-based   decision   making   and
14        appropriate technical assistance.
15        (e)  The   Agency   has  the  authority  to  develop  and
16    distribute written guidance, fact sheets, or other  documents
17    that  explain, summarize, or describe programs operated under
18    this Act or regulations.  The written guidance, fact  sheets,
19    or  other  documents  shall not be considered rules and shall
20    not be subject to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.
21    (Source: P.A. 89-465, eff. 6-13-96.)

22        (415 ILCS 5/52.3-2)
23        Sec. 52.3-2.  Agency authority; scope of agreement.
24        (a)  On or before December 31, 2001, The Agency may enter
25    into an initial  Environmental  Management  System  Agreement
26    Agreements  with  any  person  regulated  under  this  Act to
27    implement innovative environmental measures that relate to or
28    involve provisions of this Act, even if one or  more  of  the
29    terms  of  such  an  Agreement  would be inconsistent with an
30    otherwise applicable statute or  regulation  of  this  State.
31    Participation in this program is limited to those persons who
32    have  submitted  an Environmental Management System Agreement
33    that is acceptable to the Agency and who  are  not  currently
 
                            -5-                LRB9201356LDtm
 1    subject to enforcement action under this Act.
 2        (b)  The Agency may adopt rules to implement this Section
 3    if less than 6 Agreements are executed, but shall adopt rules
 4    to  implement  this  Section  if  6  or  more  Agreements are
 5    executed.  Without limiting the generality of this authority,
 6    those regulations may, among other things:
 7             (1)  Specify the criteria an applicant must meet  to
 8        participate in this program.
 9             (2)  Specify  the  minimum  contents  of  a proposed
10        Environmental  Management  System  Agreement,  including,
11        without limitation, the following:
12                  (A)  requiring identification of all State  and
13             federal  statutes, rules, and regulations applicable
14             to the facility;
15                  (B)  requiring identification of all  statutes,
16             rules,  and  regulations  that are inconsistent with
17             one or more  terms  of  the  proposed  Environmental
18             Management System Agreement;
19                  (C)  requiring  a statement of how the proposed
20             Environmental  Management  System   Agreement   will
21             achieve one or more of the purposes of this Section;
22                  (D)  requiring  identification of those members
23             of the  general  public,  representatives  of  local
24             communities,  and  environmental groups who may have
25             an interest in the Environmental  Management  System
26             Agreement; and
27                  (E)  requiring    identification   of   how   a
28             participant will demonstrate ongoing compliance with
29             the terms of  its  Environmental  Management  System
30             Agreement,  which  may  include  an  evaluation of a
31             participant's performance  under  the  Environmental
32             Management   System   Agreement  by  a  third  party
33             acceptable  to  the  Agency.   Compliance  with  the
34             Agreement  shall  be  determined   not   less   than
 
                            -6-                LRB9201356LDtm
 1             annually.
 2             (3)  Specify the procedures for review by the Agency
 3        of Environmental Management System Agreements.
 4             (4)  Specify the procedures for public participation
 5        in,  including  notice  of  and comment on, Environmental
 6        Management System Agreements and stakeholder  involvement
 7        in  design  and  implementation of specific projects that
 8        are undertaken.
 9             (5)  Specify   the    procedures    for    voluntary
10        termination   of   an   Environmental  Management  System
11        Agreement.
12             (6)  Specify the type of performance guarantee to be
13        provided  by  an  applicant  for  participation  in  this
14        program.  The nature of the performance  guarantee  shall
15        be   directly   related   to   the   complexity   of  and
16        environmental   risk   associated   with   the   proposed
17        Environmental Management System Agreement.
18        (c)  The Agency shall propose by December 31,  1996,  and
19    the  Board  shall  promulgate,  criteria  and  procedures for
20    involuntary termination of  Environmental  Management  System
21    Agreements. The Board shall complete such rulemaking no later
22    than 180 days after receipt of the Agency's proposal.
23        (d)  On or before December 31, 2001, the Agency may enter
24    into initial Environmental Management System Agreements prior
25    to  adopting  rules  under this Section, if the proposals for
26    the Agreements  have  been  accepted  under  the  Federal  XL
27    Program, in accordance with the following:
28             (1)  An   applicant  shall  submit,  in  writing,  a
29        proposed Environmental Management System Agreement to the
30        Director of the Agency.
31             (2)  The Agency shall have  120  days  to  review  a
32        proposed Environmental Management System Agreement.
33             (3)  The  Agency's failure to notify an applicant in
34        writing that it has accepted a proposal shall be deemed a
 
                            -7-                LRB9201356LDtm
 1        rejection.
 2             (4)  A  rejection  of   a   proposed   Environmental
 3        Management  System  Agreement  by the Agency shall not be
 4        appealable.
 5             (5)  The Agency shall provide notice to the  public,
 6        including  an  opportunity for public comment and hearing
 7        in accordance with the procedures set forth  in  35  Ill.
 8        Adm.  Code  Part  164,  on  each proposal accepted by the
 9        Agency under  this  subsection  (d).   The  Agency  shall
10        provide  such notice, including an opportunity for public
11        comment and hearing, prior to executing an  Environmental
12        Management System Agreement.
13             (6)  Prior  to  promulgation  of rules under Section
14        52.3-2(c), each Agreement shall  specify  the  terms  and
15        conditions  under  which  the  Agency  may  terminate the
16        Agreement.
17             (7)  Each Agreement shall  provide  for  appropriate
18        stakeholder  involvement in a manner that is conducive to
19        productive participation, equitable decision  making  and
20        open   exchange   of   information   in   developing  and
21        implementing the Agreement.
22    (Source: P.A. 89-465, eff. 6-13-96.)

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