Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that, on July 1, 2026, and each July 1 thereafter, the State Comptroller shall direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer the sum of $5,000,000 from the Underground Storage Tank Fund to the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund. Provides that, among other things, moneys in the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund may be used for the issuance of grants or providing additional subsidization. Removes provisions limiting the size of grants to municipalities issued under the Municipal Brownfields Redevelopment Grant Program.
SR 620 (Compost Awareness Week) is a symbolic Senate resolution declaring May 3-9, 2026, as Compost Awareness Week in Illinois. It does not create new laws or policies but formally recognizes the importance of composting through a designated week for education and awareness. The resolution highlights composting’s role in reducing landfill waste (30-40% of landfill material), conserving water, supporting soil health, and creating green jobs. It aligns Illinois with the existing International Compost Awareness Week initiative and its 2026 theme, "Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us!" This resolution directly affects public awareness efforts but has no binding effect on government actions or regulations.
Amends the Sustainable Agriculture Act. Provides that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources shall conduct a joint study to evaluate the corrective actions that may be adopted within the agricultural sector to mitigate dust storm occurrences and the severity of dust storms. Provides that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources may consult with and seek assistance from similar state agencies in other states and federal agencies, to the extent that such coordination aids in furthering the purposes of this study. Requires the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources to coordinate with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Office of Homeland Security to evaluate and publish findings on the short-term and long-term threats of dust storms and the protocol that should be developed to protect the public from current and future threats posed by dust storms. Provides that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources shall publish the joint study on an agreed upon publicly available website and shall provide suitable copies to the Governor and the General Assembly by no later than December 1, 2027.
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Agriculture
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In provisions concerning the regulation of air pollution, water pollution, drinking water, hazardous waste, and landfills, provides that the Illinois Pollution Control Board shall not adopt any standards that are less stringent than those existing in Board regulations. Provides that various provisions of the Act shall not be construed to limit the right of a person to submit to the Board, or for the Board to adopt, regulations more stringent than the regulations promulgated by the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that all National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits authorizing a discharge from a facility designated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a major facility, shall, at a minimum, require for publicly owned treatment works, periodic sampling of influent, effluent, and biosolids for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods and, for all other facilities, periodic effluent sampling for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods. Provides that the Agency shall require any NPDES permit application for a discharge of wastewater that has potential to contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances to fully characterize the discharge through sample results for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods. Provides that the Agency shall not issue any permit under specified provisions for the land application of a sludge or biosolids unless the application includes sample results for the sludge or biosolids for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods. Provides that any permit issued under specified provisions for the land application of a sludge or biosolids shall require, at minimum, periodic sampling of the sludge or biosolids for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods.
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Makes findings about the imposition of disproportionate and adverse effects on communities in areas of environmental justice concern. Defines terms. Applies to the following permits for which an owner or operator applies on or after January 1, 2026: (1) a construction permit for a new source that is to be located in an area of environmental justice concern and that is required to obtain from the Agency a CAAPP permit or a Federally Enforceable State Operating Permit; (2) a construction permit for any existing source that is located in an area of environmental justice concern, that possesses a CAAPP permit or a Federally Enforceable State Operating Permit issued by the Agency, and that seeks an increase in annual permitted emissions; or (3) a construction permit for any existing source that is located in an area of environmental justice concern, that seeks an increase in annual permitted emissions, and that will for the first time require a new CAAPP permit or a Federally Enforceable State Operating Permit issued by the Agency. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate the application for affects on environmental justice and may suggest additional testing or changes in the application. Requires that the Agency to conduct an evaluation of the prospective owner's or operator's prior experience in owning and operating sources of air pollution before it may issue a construction permit. Makes other changes. Creates the Office of Environmental Justice within the Environmental Protection Agency. Effective immediately.
Creates the Nitrogen Reduction Program Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Agriculture shall, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources and soil and water conservation districts in the State, develop a nitrogen reduction incentive program by January 1, 2027 for the purpose of addressing water quality issues. Provides that the program will include a per-acre payment rate of not less than $5 per acre. Provides that crop management records collected from farmers shall be considered confidential. Makes findings. Defines terms. Effective immediately.
Creates the Carryout Bag Reduction Act. Imposes, beginning January 1, 2027, a carryout bag fee of $0.10 on each carryout bag used by a consumer at a retail mercantile establishment. Increases the amount of the fee by $0.05 every year until the fee is $0.25 per carryout bag. Provides that the fee shall be further increased by $0.05 per year if certain goals are not met. Requires retail mercantile establishments to retain a specific amount of the fee and remit the remainder to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the Carryout Bag Fee Fund. Requires a specific amount of the fee to be deposited into the General Revenue Fund through 2030 and requires the remainder of the fee to be remitted either (i) to the county where the retail mercantile establishment is located or (ii) if a municipal joint action agency or a municipality with a population greater than 1,000,000 is located in the county, then to either the municipal joint action agency if the fee was collected from a retail mercantile establishment located within the municipal joint action agency service area or to the municipality with a population greater than 1,000,000 if the fee was collected from a retail mercantile establishment located within the municipality with a population greater than 1,000,000. Prohibits, beginning January 1, 2027, plastic bags from being used to transport goods from a retail mercantile establishment for delivery to the location of a consumer. Requires the Department to annually report certain information to the General Assembly and post that information on the Department's website. Establishes requirements for use of the revenue received from the carryout bag fee for units of local government. Exempts from the requirements of the Act bags for items purchased pursuant to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or any similar governmental food assistance program. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to develop certain materials. Establishes civil penalties for violations of the Act. Provides for enforcement by the Attorney General or a State's Attorney, with penalties collected by the Attorney General to be deposited into the Solid Waste Management Fund. Limits home rule powers and functions. Defines terms. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Carryout Bag Fee Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately.
Amends the Counties Code, the Township Code, and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a commercial solar energy facility, commercial wind energy facility, or energy storage facility may not be constructed in a county, a township, or within 1.5 miles of a municipality unless the facility has the approval of (1) the county board of the county or, if the facility is located in Cook County, the Cook County Board of Commissioners; (2) if the facility would be located within a township, the township board of trustees; and (3) if the facility would be located within a municipality, the corporate authorities of the municipality. Effective immediately.
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In provisions establishing greenhouse gas emission reduction deadlines and requirements for electric generating units and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that use gas as a fuel, that are not public GHG-emitting units, and that are located within a specified distance of an equity investment eligible community, specifies that the equity investment eligible community must have been designated by the Restore, Reinvest, and Renew Program Board as of January 11, 2024 and must be located in an R3 Area established under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.
