Environment (Water Quality)

SB 247 increases filing fees for specific environmental petitions under Illinois' Environmental Protection Act from $75 to $250. It directly affects individuals and organizations submitting petitions for site-specific regulations, variances, permit reviews, local government decision contests, or adjusted water quality standards. The bill changes the required fee amount for these five petition types while clarifying that converting a variance petition to a time-limited water quality standard petition does not require an additional fee. This is a straightforward fee adjustment with no other policy changes.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that an eligible local government unit with a population that is greater than or equal to 150,000 is not eligible for the forgiveness of principal through the Water Pollution Control Loan Program, the Public Water Supply Loan Program, or the Loan Support Program.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Specifies that the Act shall not apply to non-community water supplies, except for purposes of: (1) the Environmental Protection Agency's implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act; (2) the Pollution Control Board's adoption of rules that expressly pertain to non-community water supplies or all public water supplies; or (3) any provisions of the Act or rules adopted by the Board under the Act that are referenced in, or applicable to, non-community water supplies under the Illinois Groundwater Protection Act and rules adopted by the Department of Public Health under that Act. Amends the Illinois Groundwater Protection Act. Authorizes the imposition of administrative and civil penalties. Effective immediately.