Illinois Code § 605-515

§ 605-515.

Environmental Regulatory Assistance Program. (a) In this Section, except where the context clearly requires otherwise, "small business stationary source" means a business that is owned or operated by a person that employs 100 or fewer individuals; is a small business; is not a major stationary source as defined in Titles I and III of the federal 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments; does not emit 50 tons or more per year of any regulated pollutant (as defined under the federal Clean Air Act); and emits less than 75 tons per year of all regulated pollutants. (b) The Department may: (1) Provide access to technical and compliance information for Illinois firms, including small and middle market companies, to facilitate local business compliance with the federal, State, and local environmental regulations. (2) Coordinate and enter into cooperative agreements with a State ombudsman office, which shall be established in accordance with the federal 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments to provide direct oversight to the program established under that Act. (3) Enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, and financing agreements and establish and collect charges and fees necessary or incidental to the performance of duties and the execution of powers under this Section. (4) Accept and expend, subject to appropriation, gifts, grants, awards, funds, contributions, charges, fees, and other financial or nonfinancial aid from federal, State, and local governmental agencies, businesses, educational agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and other entities, for the purposes of this Section. (5) Establish, staff, and administer programs and services and adopt such rules and regulations necessary to carry out the intent of this Section and Section 507, "Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Program", of the federal 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. (c) The Department's environmental compliance programs and services for businesses may include, but need not be limited to, the following: (1) Communication and outreach services to or on behalf of individual companies, including collection and compilation of appropriate information on regulatory compliance issues and control technologies, and dissemination of that information through publications, direct mailings, electronic communications, conferences, workshops, one-on-one counseling, and other means of technical assistance. (2) Provision of referrals and access to technical assistance, pollution prevention and facility audits, and otherwise serving as an information clearinghouse on pollution prevention through the coordination of the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center of the University of Illinois. In addition, environmental and regulatory compliance issues and techniques, which may include business rights and responsibilities, applicable permitting and compliance requirements, compliance methods and acceptable control technologies, release detection, and other applicable information may be provided. (3) Coordination with and provision of administrative and logistical support to the State Compliance Advisory Panel. (d) There is hereby created a special fund in the State Treasury to be known as the Small Business Environmental Assistance Fund. Monies received under subdivision (b)(4) of this Section shall be deposited into the Fund. Monies in the Small Business Environmental Assistance Fund may be used, subject to appropriation, only for the purposes authorized by this Section. On July 1, 2025, or as soon thereafter as practical, the State Comptroller shall direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer the remaining balance from the Small Business Environmental Assistance Fund into the Clean Air Act Permit Fund. Upon completion of the transfer, the Small Business Environmental Assistance Fund is dissolved, and any future deposits due to that Fund and any outstanding obligations or liabilities of that Fund shall pass to the Clean Air Act Permit Fund. (e) Subject to appropriation, the Department may use moneys from the Clean Air Act Permit Fund for the purposes authorized by this Section. (Source: P.A. 103-588, eff. 6-5-24; 104-2, eff. 6-16-25.)