Environment

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Agency shall develop and begin implementation of requirements for a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan or other similar best management practice requirements, to be included in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued to facilities regulated under certain federal regulations. Provides that these requirements apply to the control of plastic pellets or other preproduction plastic materials, in stormwater runoff from these facilities.

Creates the Household Hazardous Waste Stewardship Act. Requires that manufacturers implement a stewardship plan, beginning January 1, 2028, and establishes related prohibitions. Requires a manufacturer to establish, fund, and implement a stewardship program individually or collectively as part of a stewardship organization, with certain funding requirements. Lists other manufacturer and stewardship organization obligations and requirements. Requires each manufacturer who sells covered products in the State to register with a stewardship organization by April 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, and subsequently also with the Environmental Protection Agency. Requires stewardship organizations to post certain information on a website by January 1, 2028. Prohibits a manufacturer from selling a covered product, beginning in program year 2028, unless the manufacturer is registered and operates a stewardship program or is part of a stewardship organization. Requires stewardship organizations to jointly prepare, no later than January 1, 2027, a household hazardous waste needs assessment. Prohibits a retailer from selling a covered product unless the manufacturer is identified as a participant in a stewardship organization with an approved stewardship plan. Requires collection sites to keep certain records and provide certain data. Lists requirements and procedures for stewardship plans. Lists collection convenience standard requirements. Requires each stewardship organization to jointly submit, by June 1, 2029, and annually thereafter, a report to the Agency. Requires a stewardship organization to pay an annual fee to the Agency and lists responsibilities of the Agency. Exempts activities under the Act from antitrust laws. Allows the Agency to adopt rules. Provides civil penalties for violations. Specifies that it is a Class 4 or Class 3 felony to make a fraudulent material statement to the Agency under the Act. Allows for collection of covered products using a premium collection service. Makes findings. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a county or municipality may not adopt any regulation that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the use of natural gas in new construction without a referendum. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that cryptocurrency mining facilities shall apply noise-reduction techniques, including certain specified techniques. Provides that the Pollution Control Board shall adopt rules implementing these provisions. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency, as the noise control agency for the State, shall enforce these provisions, as well as the rules adopted under these provisions. Provides that the Agency may adopt rules to administer and implement these provisions, as applicable. Defines terms.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that a person shall not organize, sponsor, promote, conduct, or participate in any contest, organized competition, tournament, or derby that has as its objective the taking of a fur-bearing mammal for cash, prizes, or other inducement. Provides an exception for field trials, certain wildlife damage control activities, and certain lawful hunting or trapping activities. Establishes penalties for violations.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Defines the terms "anaerobic digester", "anaerobic digestion", "digestate", and "food waste processing facility". Replaces the definition of "food scrap" with the definition of "food waste". Replaces references to food scrap with references to food waste. Makes changes to provisions concerning pollution control facilities to exclude the portion of a site or facility that is used exclusively for the processing of food waste, with certain other requirements. Provides an exception for the commingling of certain food waste and landscape waste from certain provisions regarding landscape waste. Amends the Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act. Adds to requirements for county waste management plan recycling programs. Amends the Illinois Solid Waste Management Act. Establishes a food and food waste management hierarchy. Requires a covered establishment to carry out certain duties with respect to food waste. Provides for rulemaking, enforcement, and penalties with respect to provisions concerning food waste. Establishes requirements and procedures for diverting food that is safe for human consumption. Requires certain State agencies and units of local government to purchase and use compost and digestate, with certain requirements. Establishes a food diversion grant program. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act. Requires each county waste management plan to include a recycling program to designed to recycle or compost (rather than just recycle) municipal waste at a specified recycling rate by a certain timeline. Defines the recycling rate as 25% until January 1, 2032, and 50% beginning January 1, 2032 (rather than 15% by the end of the third year of the program and 25% by the end of the fifth year of the program). Requires the waste management plan to provide for the reduction of the total release of dioxin and mercury to the environment with the goal of their continued minimization and, if feasible, ultimate elimination from the county's municipal waste stream.

Amends the Natural Resource Restoration Trust Fund Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall establish the Natural Resource Restoration Trust Grant Program to make grants to applicants for the restoration or replacement of injured or damaged natural resources resulting from claims pursued under the laws of the United States, the laws of this State, other statutory laws, or common law. Provides that the following entities may apply for grants under the Act: (i) units of local government; (ii) soil and water conservation districts; (iii) area-wide agencies, including counties, regional planning agencies, or both; (iv) nonprofit organizations; (iv) public or private institutes of higher education; (v) port authorities; and (vi) federally recognized tribes. Provides that the Department shall issue grants if (i) the requested grant complies with the purpose for which the Department was to provide funds and is subject to the requirements of all applicable court orders and (ii) the grant complies with the criteria established by administrative rule for the issuance of the grant. Provides that grants shall not be awarded to a grantee that is responsible for the pollution event that is the subject or basis for the issuance of the grant. Effective July 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2027, a diesel powered vehicle owned or operated by the State, any county or unit of local government, any school district, any community college or public college or university, or any mass transit agency must use a biodiesel blend that contains 19%, unless the engine is designed or retrofitted to operate on a higher percentage of biodiesel or on ultra low sulfur fuel. Allows, in December, January, February, and March, a biodiesel blend of at least 10% to be used. Effective immediately.

Amends the Responsible Outdoor Lighting Control Act. Changes the short title of the Act to the Dark Sky Act. Provides that, beginning December 1, 2026, except for any lighting that a State agency has installed or is using on the effective date of the amendatory Act, all new or renovated luminaires that are purchased or rented with State funds for the purpose of outdoor illumination and any lighting that is installed on land or easements owned, leased, or managed by the State for the purpose of outdoor illumination, including, but not limited to, on roadways, facilities, properties, nonhabitable structures, monuments, and public right-of-way spaces shall comply with specified responsible outdoor lighting requirements. Makes exceptions to the requirements. Provides that a State agency may send a request to the Department of Central Management Services to seek an exemption when planning to install, purchase, or rent lighting under one or more of the listed exceptions to the requirements in the Act. Requires the Department of Central Management Services, within 30 days of receipt, to (i) grant the exemption by memorandum, (ii) deny the exemption by memorandum, or (iii) grant the exemption by failing to issue a memorandum. Makes conforming changes to provisions that apply to the Department of Natural Resources. Changes a definition. Makes technical changes. Effective immediately.