Illinois § 4

§ 4.

Interagency Coordinating Committee on Groundwater. (a) There shall be established within State government an interagency committee which shall be known as the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Groundwater. The Committee shall be composed of the Director, or his designee, of the following agencies: (1) The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, who shall chair the Committee. (2) The Illinois Department of Natural Resources. (3) The Illinois Department of Public Health. (4) The Office of Mines and Minerals within the Department of Natural Resources. (5) The Office of the State Fire Marshal. (6) The Division of Water Resources of the Department of Natural Resources. (7) The Illinois Department of Agriculture. (8) The Illinois Emergency Management Agency. (9) The Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety. (b) The Committee shall meet not less than twice each calendar year and shall: (1) Review and coordinate the State's policy on groundwater protection. (2) Review and evaluate State laws, regulations and procedures that relate to groundwater protection. (3) Review and evaluate the status of the State's efforts to improve the quality of the groundwater and of the State enforcement efforts for protection of the groundwater and make recommendations on improving the State efforts to protect the groundwater. (4) Recommend procedures for better coordination among State groundwater programs and with local programs related to groundwater protection. (5) Review and recommend procedures to coordinate the State's response to specific incidents of groundwater pollution and coordinate dissemination of information between agencies responsible for the State's response. (6) Make recommendations for and prioritize the State's groundwater research needs. (7) Review, coordinate and evaluate groundwater data collection and analysis. (8) Beginning on January 1, 1990, report biennially to the Governor and the General Assembly on groundwater quality, quantity, and the State's enforcement efforts. (c) The Chairman of the Committee shall propose a groundwater protection regulatory agenda for consideration by the Committee and the Council. The principal purpose of the agenda shall be to systematically consider the groundwater protection aspects of relevant federal and State regulatory programs and to identify any areas where improvements may be warranted. To the extent feasible, the agenda may also serve to facilitate a more uniform and coordinated approach toward protection of groundwaters in Illinois. Upon adoption of the final agenda by the Committee, the Chairman of the Committee shall assign a lead agency and any support agencies to prepare a regulatory assessment report for each item on the agenda. Each regulatory assessment report shall specify the nature of the groundwater protection provisions being implemented and shall evaluate the results achieved therefrom. Special attention shall be given to any preventive measures being utilized for protection of groundwaters. The reports shall be completed in a timely manner. After review and consideration by the Committee, the reports shall become the basis for recommending further legislative or regulatory action. (d) No later than January 1, 1992, the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Groundwater shall provide a comprehensive status report to the Governor and the General Assembly concerning implementation of this Act. (e) The Committee shall consider findings and recommendations that are provided by the Council, and respond in writing regarding such matters. The Chairman of the Committee shall designate a liaison person to serve as a facilitator of communications with the Council. (Source: P.A. 102-1071, eff. 6-10-22.)