Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of Public Act 095-0657
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Public Act 095-0657


 

Public Act 0657 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY



 


 
Public Act 095-0657
 
SB0046 Enrolled LRB095 06824 CMK 26940 b

    AN ACT concerning government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Green
Governments Illinois Act.
 
    Section 5. Findings and purpose. Daily government
operations have an impact on environmental quality and use of
natural resources, including the energy and water consumed, the
solid waste generated, the buildings constructed, and the goods
and services purchased. The purpose of this Act is to
demonstrate the State's commitment to reducing negative
environmental impacts, reducing greenhouse gases, and
preserving resources for current and future generations. This
Act will also strengthen the capacity of units of local
government and educational institutions to transition to a more
environmentally sustainable future.
 
    Section 10. Green Governments Coordinating Council;
established. The Green Governments Coordinating Council is
established. The purpose of the Council is to integrate more
fully into the ongoing management systems, long-range
planning, and daily operations of State agencies a number of
cost-effective environmental sustainability measures that
enhance health and safety, reduce the consumption of energy and
fuels, conserve water, minimize emissions and reduce solid and
hazardous wastes. The Council will also serve as a resource for
units of local government and educational institutions, which
includes all public and private school districts, regional
offices of education, universities, and colleges.
 
    Section 15. Composition of the Council. The Council shall
be comprised of representatives from various State agencies
with specific fiscal, procurement, educational, and
environmental policy expertise. The Lieutenant Governor is the
chair of the Council. The director of each of the following
State agencies, or his or her designee, is a member of the
Council: the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,
the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Natural
Resources, the Department of Natural Resources Waste
Management and Research Center, the Department of Central
Management Services, the Governor's Office of Management and
Budget, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of
Transportation, the Department of Corrections, the Department
of Human Services, the Department of Public Health, the State
Board of Education, the Board of Higher Education, and the
Capital Development Board. The Office of the Lieutenant
Governor shall provide administrative support to the Council. A
minimum of one staff position in the Office of the Lieutenant
Governor shall be dedicated to the Green Governments Illinois
program.
 
    Section 20. Responsibilities of the Council. The Council is
responsible for the development and dissemination of programs,
plans, and policies to reduce the environmental footprint of
State government and for improving the implementation of
greening the government initiatives in other institutions,
thereby reducing costs to taxpayers and improving efficiency in
operations. The Council shall convene on a quarterly basis and
shall be responsible for the following:
        (a) Establishing long-term environmental
    sustainability goals that the State will strive to achieve
    within a period of 3, 5, and 10 years to improve the energy
    and environmental performance of State buildings,
    consistent with efficiency and economic objectives. These
    goals shall, at a minimum, include the following:
    broad-based performance goals for energy efficiency; use
    of renewable fuels; water conservation; green purchasing;
    paper consumption; and solid waste generation. These goals
    can be met through increased efficiency, operational
    changes, and improved maintenance and use of
    cost-effective alternative technologies, raw materials,
    and fuels.
        The Council shall:
            (1) communicate the environmental sustainability
        goals to all State agencies;
            (2) establish an electronic system to track and
        report on environmental progress;
            (3) monitor improvement activities; and
            (4) propose new goals as appropriate.
        (b) Coordinating an awards program that recognizes
    units of State and local government and educational
    institutions for developing, adopting, and implementing
    innovative or exemplary environmental sustainability plans
    in conformance with this Act.
        (c) Creating specific guidance materials for State
    agencies, educational institutions, and units of local
    government on how to integrate environmental
    sustainability into existing management systems, planning,
    and operational practices, while still providing necessary
    services and ensuring efficient and effective operations.
    These guidance materials must include a list of
    environmental and energy best practices, case studies,
    policy language, model plans, and other resource
    information. These materials must be made available on a
    website devoted to the Green Governments Illinois program.
        (d) Developing and implementing, to the extent
    fiscally feasible, training programs designed to instill
    the importance and value of environmental sustainability.
        (e) Providing new ways for State government to build
    markets for environmentally preferable products and
    services without compromising price, competition, and
    availability. The Council shall initially focus on
    integrated pest management, bio-based products, recycled
    content paper, energy efficiency, renewable energy,
    alternative fuel vehicles, and green cleaning supplies.
    Within existing resources, the Department of Central
    Management Services shall designate a single point of
    contact for State agencies, suppliers, and other
    interested parties to contact regarding environmentally
    preferable purchasing issues.
        (f) Working collaboratively with State agencies, units
    of local government, educational institutions, and the
    legislative branches of government to promote
    benchmarking, commissioning, and retro-commissioning to
    make government and institutional buildings more
    resource-efficient, energy efficient, and healthful public
    places.
        (g) Reviewing budgetary policy and making
    recommendations to the Governor on incentives for State
    agencies to undertake environmental improvements that
    result in long-term cost-savings, productivity
    enhancements, or other outcomes deemed appropriate to the
    State's sustainability goals.
        (h) Reporting annually to the Governor and the General
    Assembly on the results of environmental sustainability
    actions taken by State agencies, educational institutions
    and units of local government during the prior calendar
    year. The report must include the environmental and
    economic benefits of the environmental sustainability
    actions, where feasible, the consumption of those actions,
    and provide recommendations for future environmental
    improvement activities during the following year. The
    report shall be filed by September 1, 2008, and September 1
    of each subsequent year.
        (i) The chairman of the Council shall determine whether
    or not the I-Cycle program is operating effectively and
    make recommendations concerning management of the I-Cycle
    program. The chairman has the authority to dissolve the
    I-Cycle program if the program is found to be ineffective.
 
    Section 25. Authority of the Council. To fulfill its
functions, the Council has the authority to:
        (1) Solicit and receive grants.
        (2) Solicit, use, and publish advice and information
    from non-governmental entities and experts to assist in the
    Council's duties.
 
    Section 30. Voluntary participation. Participation in the
provisions of this Act by units of local government and
educational institutions is voluntary.
 
    Section 35. Environmental Plans and Reporting.
    (a) Each State agency shall submit an adopted environmental
sustainability plan to the chairman of the Council for review
and approval on or before November 1, 2007.
    On or before August 1, 2007, the Council shall prepare a
downloadable plan template designed to provide a simple
framework for the development of an environmental
sustainability plan as required by this Act. The Council shall
adopt procedures for reviewing and approving the plans, and
make staff available during preparation of the plans to assist
State agencies with their plan-writing efforts. The Council
shall complete its plan review process on or before January 1,
2008. The sustainability plans shall be reviewed and updated
periodically, but at least once every 3 years. To the extent
feasible and cost-effective, units of local government,
educational institutions, and State agencies are encouraged to
adopt and implement similar sustainability plans.
Environmental sustainability plans may be submitted to the
chairman of the Council, by request, for review and approval.
    (b) On or before August 1, 2007, each State agency, using
existing resources, shall form an internal environmental
sustainability committee. The environmental sustainability
committee shall (i) assess the environmental and resource use
impacts of its major operational activities making
environmental improvements, conserving resources, and reducing
health risks; (ii) develop an environmental sustainability
plan as required under this Act; and (iii) establish an ongoing
process through which their sustainability efforts can be
reviewed and improved upon. The committee shall focus on the
most significant environmental and resource use impacts,
examine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of addressing
these impacts, and prioritize their actions accordingly.
    Where feasible, the committee shall quantify the specific
impacts of major operational activities such as gallons of
water used, pounds of solid waste generated, gallons of
gasoline consumed, and dollars spent per year on electricity.
The committee shall consist of representatives from different
departments and program areas, including purchasing,
maintenance, and facility management. A senior member of
management shall be designated to coordinate environmental
sustainability efforts of each committee. The coordinator
shall provide information to agency facilities and staff,
coordinate planning and reporting activities, and act as
liaison to the Council. Where appropriate, State agencies may
appoint facility coordinators in addition to the agency
coordinator. Coordinators shall be given full management
support and provided with the necessary resources to meet the
goals of this Act.
    (c) On or before April 1, 2008 and on or before April 1 of
each subsequent year, each State agency shall submit to the
chairman of the Council a report summarizing the progress made
in implementing its environmental sustainability plan,
including sustainability measures adopted and goals achieved.
The information in this report shall encompass the previous
calendar year.
    On or before January 1, 2008, the Council shall develop and
adopt a reporting form to be used to comply with the provisions
of this Section. Participating units of local government, State
agencies, and educational institutions must submit an annual
progress report on or before June 1, 2008 and on or before June
1 of each subsequent year.
    (d) State agencies shall be invited to participate in the
Council's efforts to foster environmental sustainability
practices throughout State government.
    (e) The Council shall provide technical assistance to State
agencies, units of local government, and educational
institutions for the purpose of implementing the environmental
sustainability planning requirement.
    (f) The Council may establish criteria for exempting select
State agencies from the environmental sustainability planning
based on staff size, probable environmental impacts, and scope
of operations.
 
    Section 40. Inter-agency cooperation. The Council shall be
entitled to and shall receive the cooperation of every
administrator and employee of every State agency in fulfilling
the Council's purpose and functions.
 
    Section 45. Green Governments Illinois website.
    (a) The Green Governments Illinois staff member of the
Lieutenant Governor's Office shall be responsible for
establishing and maintaining an Internet website devoted to the
Green Governments Illinois program.
    (b) The content and capabilities of the website shall, at a
minimum, include:
        (1) the ability to receive submitted plans and reports;
        (2) a downloadable template for preparing reports;
        (3) viewable and downloadable plans and reports
    submitted by the participating units of State and local
    government and educational institutions;
        (4) a listing of sources of information on developing
    environmental programs and Internet links, if available,
    to those sources;
        (5) a listing of sources of funding for environmental
    programs and Internet links, if available, to those
    sources;
        (6) information on forming intergovernmental
    agreements for the purpose of developing collaborative
    environmental plans between units of local government; and
        (7) guidance materials to assist State agencies, units
    of local government, and educational institutions in
    identifying environmental impacts and evaluating practical
    actions to prevent pollution and conserve resources.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 10/10/2007