Illinois § 5

§ 5.

Legislative findings. (a) The General Assembly finds: (1) that a very large volume of by-product material, commonly referred to as uranium and thorium mill tailings, is located within this State, much of it in urban areas; (2) that such radioactive materials pose a significant risk to the public health, safety, and welfare of the people of Illinois; and (3) that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, pursuant to the provisions of the Radiation Protection Act of 1990, regulates the generation, possession, use, and disposal of such materials to protect the public health and safety from the radiation risks associated with these materials and to ensure that they do not pose an undue risk to the public health, safety, or the environment; and (4) that in addition to this regulation, it is beneficial for the State to have a policy promoting the safe and timely decommissioning of source material milling facilities that have come to the end of their productive lives and the safe and effective decontamination of areas within the State that are contaminated with uranium or thorium mill tailings. (a-5) The General Assembly also finds: (1) that the Director, as represented by the Attorney General, and Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation entered into an agreement dated May 19, 1994 and other related agreements to facilitate the removal of by-product material from the City of West Chicago in reliance upon the enactment of this amendatory Act of 1994; (2) that the May 19, 1994 agreement is consistent with the public purpose as expressed in this Act; and (3) that the May 19, 1994 agreement is not an agreement intended to relieve Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation from the applicability of this Act under Section 35. (b) It is the purpose of this Act to establish a comprehensive program for the timely decommissioning of uranium and thorium mill tailings facilities in Illinois and for the decontamination of properties that are contaminated with uranium or thorium mill tailings. It is the intent of the General Assembly that such a program provide for the safe management of these mill tailings and that the program encourage public participation in all phases of the development of this management program. It is further the intent of the General Assembly that this program be in addition to the regulatory program established in the Radiation Protection Act of 1990. (Source: P.A. 95-777, eff. 8-4-08.)