(415 ILCS 135/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Act. (Source: P.A. 90‑502, eff. 8‑19‑97.)
(415 ILCS 135/5) Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act: (a) "Active drycleaning facility" means a drycleaning facility actively engaged in drycleaning operations and licensed under Section 60 of this Act. (b) "Agency" means the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. (c) "Claimant" means an owner or operator of a drycleaning facility who has applied for reimbursement from the remedial account or who has submitted a claim under the insurance account with respect to a release. (d) "Council" means the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Council. (e) "Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund" or "Fund" means the fund created under Section 10 of this Act. (f) "Drycleaning facility" means a facility located in this State that is or has been engaged in drycleaning operations for the general public, other than a: (1) facility located on a United States military
base;
(2) industrial laundry, commercial laundry, or linen
supply facility;
(3) prison or other penal institution that engages
in drycleaning only as part of a Correctional Industries program to provide drycleaning to persons who are incarcerated in a prison or penal institution or to resident patients of a State‑operated mental health facility;
(4) not‑for‑profit hospital or other health care
facility; or a
(5) facility located or formerly located on federal
or State property.
(g) "Drycleaning operations" means drycleaning of apparel and household fabrics for the general public, as described in Standard Industrial Classification Industry No. 7215 and No. 7216 in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual (SIC) by the Technical Committee on Industrial Classification. (h) "Drycleaning solvent" means any and all nonaqueous solvents, including but not limited to a chlorine‑based or petroleum‑based formulation or product, including green solvents, that are used as a primary cleaning agent in drycleaning operations. (i) "Emergency" or "emergency action" means a situation or an immediate response to a situation to protect public health or safety. "Emergency" or "emergency action" does not mean removal of contaminated soils, recovery of free product, or financial hardship. An "emergency" or "emergency action" would normally be expected to be directly related to a sudden event or discovery and would last until the threat to public health is mitigated. (j) "Groundwater" means underground water that occurs within the saturated zone and geologic materials where the fluid pressure in the pore space is equal to or greater than the atmospheric pressure. (k) "Inactive drycleaning facility" means a drycleaning facility that is not being used for drycleaning operations and is not registered under this Act. (l) "Maintaining a place of business in this State" or any like term means (1) having or maintaining within this State, directly or through a subsidiary, an office, distribution facility, distribution house, sales house, warehouse, or other place of business or (2) operating within this State as an agent or representative for a person or a person's subsidiary engaged in the business of selling to persons within this State, irrespective of whether the place of business or agent or other representative is located in this State permanently or temporary, or whether the person or the person's subsidiary engages in the business of selling in this State. (m) "No Further Remediation Letter" means a letter provided by the Agency pursuant to Section 58.10 of Title XVII of the Environmental Protection Act. (n) "Operator" means a person or entity holding a business license to operate a licensed drycleaning facility or the business operation of which the drycleaning facility is a part. (o) "Owner" means (1) a person who owns or has possession or control of a drycleaning facility at the time a release is discovered, regardless of whether the facility remains in operation or (2) a parent corporation of the person under item (1) of this subdivision. (p) "Parent corporation" means a business entity or other business arrangement that has elements of common ownership or control or that uses a long‑term contractual arrangement with a person to avoid direct responsibility for conditions at a drycleaning facility. (q) "Person" means an individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, corporation, consortium, joint venture, or other commercial entity. (r) "Program year" means the period beginning on July 1 and ending on the following June 30. (s) "Release" means any spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, escaping, leaching, or dispersing of drycleaning solvents from a drycleaning facility to groundwater, surface water, or subsurface soils. (t) "Remedial action" means activities taken to comply with Sections 58.6 and 58.7 of the Environmental Protection Act and rules adopted by the Pollution Control Board under those Sections. (u) "Responsible party" means an owner, operator, or other person financially responsible for costs of remediation of a release of drycleaning solvents from a drycleaning facility. (v) "Service provider" means a consultant, testing laboratory, monitoring well installer, soil boring contractor, other contractor, lender, or any other person who provides a product or service for which a claim for reimbursement has been or will be filed against the remedial account or insurance account, or a subcontractor of such a person. (w) "Virgin facility" means a drycleaning facility that has never had chlorine‑based or petroleum‑based drycleaning solvents stored or used at the property prior to it becoming a green solvent drycleaning facility. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/10) Sec. 10. Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund. (a) The Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund is created as a special fund in the State Treasury. Moneys deposited into the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of the Council and for other purposes as provided in this Act. The Fund shall include moneys credited to the Fund under this Act and other moneys that by law may be credited to the Fund. The State Treasurer may invest Funds deposited into the Fund at the direction of the Council. Interest, income from the investments, and other income earned by the Fund shall be credited to and deposited into the Fund. Pursuant to appropriation, all moneys in the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund shall be disbursed by the Agency to the Council for the purpose of making disbursements, if any, in accordance with this Act and for the purpose of paying the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Council. After June 30, 1999, pursuant to appropriation, all moneys in the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund may be used by the Council for the purpose of making disbursements, if any, in accordance with this Act and for the purpose of paying the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Council. The Fund may be divided into different accounts with different depositories to fulfill the purposes of the Act as determined by the Council. Moneys in the Fund at the end of a State fiscal year shall be carried forward to the next fiscal year and shall not revert to the General Revenue Fund. (b) The specific purposes of the Fund include but are not limited to the following: (1) To establish an account to fund remedial action
of drycleaning solvent releases from drycleaning facilities as provided by Section 40.
(2) To establish an insurance account for insuring
environmental risks from releases from drycleaning facilities within this State as provided by Section 45.
(c) The State, the General Revenue Fund, and any other Fund of the State, other than the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund, shall not be liable for a claim or cause of action in connection with a drycleaning facility not owned or operated by the State or an agency of the State. All expenses incurred by the Fund shall be payable solely from the Fund and no liability or obligation shall be imposed upon the State. The State is not liable for a claim presented against the Fund. (d) The liability of the Fund is limited to the extent of coverage provided by the account under which a claim is submitted, subject to the terms and conditions of that coverage. The liability of the Fund is further limited by the moneys made available to the Fund, and no remedy shall be ordered that would require the Fund to exceed its then current funding limitations to satisfy an award or which would restrict the availability of moneys for higher priority sites. (e) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit, restrict, or affect the authority and powers of the Agency or another State agency or statute unless the State agency or statute is specifically referenced and the limitation is clearly set forth in this Act. (Source: P.A. 90‑502, eff. 8‑19‑97; 91‑453, eff. 8‑6‑99.)
(415 ILCS 135/15) Sec. 15. Creation of Council. (a) The Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Council is established and shall consist of the following voting members to be appointed by the Governor: (1) Four members who own or operate a drycleaning
facility. These members shall serve 3 year terms, except that of the initial members appointed, one shall be appointed for a term of one year, one for a term of 2 years, and one for a term of 3 years.
(2) One member who represents wholesale distributors
of drycleaning solvents. This member shall serve for a term of 3 years.
(3) One member who represents the drycleaning
equipment manufacturers and vendor community. This member shall serve for a term of 3 years.
(4) One member with experience in financial markets
or the insurance industry. This member shall serve for a term of 3 years.
Each member shall have experience, knowledge, and expertise relating to the subject matter of this Act. (b) The Governor may remove any member of the Council for incompetency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office after service on him or her of a copy of the written charges against him or her and after an opportunity to be publicly heard in person or by counsel in his or her own defense no earlier than 10 days after the Governor has provided notice of the opportunity to the Council member. Evidence of incompetency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office may be provided to the Governor by the Agency or the Auditor General following the annual audit described in Section 80. (c) Members of the Council are entitled to receive reimbursement of actual expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties within the limit of funds appropriated to the Council or made available to the Fund. The Governor shall appoint a chairperson of the Council from among the members of the Council. (d) The Attorney General's office or its designee shall provide legal counsel to the Council. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/20) Sec. 20. Council rules. (a) The Council may adopt rules in accordance with the emergency rulemaking provisions of Section 5‑45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act for one year after the effective date of this Act. Thereafter, the Council shall conduct general rulemaking as provided under the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. (b) The Council shall adopt rules regarding its practice and procedures for investigating and settling claims made against the Fund, determining reimbursement guidelines, coordinating with the Agency, and otherwise implementing and administering the Fund under this Act. (c) The Council shall adopt rules regarding its practice and procedures to develop underwriting standards, establish insurance account coverage and risk factors, settle claims made against the insurance account of the Fund, determine appropriate deductibles or retentions in coverages or benefits offered under the insurance account of the Fund, determine reimbursement guidelines, and otherwise implement and administer the insurance account under this Act. (d) The Council shall adopt rules necessary for the implementation and collection of insurance account premiums prior to offering insurance to an owner or operator of a drycleaning facility or other person. (e) The Council shall adopt rules prescribing requirements for the retention of records by an owner or operator and the periods for which he or she must retain those records. (f) The Council shall adopt rules describing the manner in which all disbursed moneys received from the Agency shall be deposited with a bank or savings and loan association to be approved by the Council. For purposes of this subsection, the Council shall be considered a public agency and, therefore, no bank or savings and loan association shall receive public funds from the Council, and the Council shall not make any investments, unless in accordance with the Public Funds Investment Act. (g) All final Council decisions regarding the Fund or any reimbursement from the Fund and any decision concerning the classification of drycleaning solvents pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 65 of this Act and any notice of the assessment of civil penalties under Section 69 of this Act shall be subject to appeal to the Administrator of the Council, by the affected parties, within 60 days after the final decision. The Council shall determine by rule persons who have standing to appeal final Council decisions. Any written decision by the Administrator may be appealed to the Council within 60 days after the Administrator's final decision. Any decision by the Council may be appealed to the Council's administrative law judge within 60 days after the Council's final decision. Notice of any hearing provided for by this Act shall be given not less than 7 days before the day fixed for the hearing. An appeal of the administrative law judge's decision will be subject to judicial review in accordance with the Administrative Review Law. Any decision not timely appealed shall become a final administrative decision without the necessity of a final administrative decision being issued and shall be deemed to be a final administrative decision. The Council shall adopt rules relating to appeal procedures. The Council may designate an attorney, employed by the Council or privately employed, to act as an administrative law judge to preside at any administrative hearing resulting from the appeal of a Council decision. The Council and the Department of Revenue are authorized to enter into an agreement whereby an administrative law judge employed by the Department may be assigned to preside at the administrative hearings. Proof of the Council's administrative decision may be made at any administrative or legal proceeding by a reproduced copy of the Council's record relating to the decision under the certificate of the Council. A reproduced copy shall, without further proof, be admitted into evidence and shall be prima facie proof of the decision. The provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and any rules adopted under the Administrative Review law by the Council, shall govern all proceedings for the judicial review of final administrative decisions of the Council. The term "administrative decision" has the same meaning as it does in Section 3‑101 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Venue for an administrative review action challenging the results of an administrative hearing upholding an administrative decision issued by the Council shall be proper in the Circuit Court of the county where the plaintiff has its principal place of business, or Sangamon County if the plaintiff's principal place of business is located outside Illinois. (Source: P.A. 96‑774, eff. 1‑1‑10.)
(415 ILCS 135/25) Sec. 25. Powers and duties of the Council. (a) The Council shall have all of the general powers reasonably necessary and convenient to carry out its purposes and may perform the following functions, subject to any express limitations contained in this Act: (1) Take actions and enter into agreements necessary
to reimburse claimants for eligible remedial action expenses, assist the Agency to protect the environment from releases, reduce costs associated with remedial actions, and establish and implement an insurance program.
(2) Acquire and hold personal property to be used
for the purpose of remedial action.
(3) Purchase, construct, improve, furnish, equip,
lease, option, sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of one or more improvements under the terms it determines. The Council may define "improvements" by rule for purposes of this Act.
(4) Grant a lien, pledge, assignment, or other
encumbrance on one or more revenues, assets of right, accounts, or funds established or received in connection with the Fund, including revenues derived from fees or taxes collected under this Act.
(5) Contract for the acquisition or construction of
one or more improvements or parts of one or more improvements or for the leasing, subleasing, sale, or other disposition of one or more improvements in a manner the Council determines.
(6) Cooperate with the Agency in the implementation
and administration of this Act to minimize unnecessary duplication of effort, reporting, or paperwork and to maximize environmental protection within the funding limits of this Act.
(7) Except as otherwise provided by law, inspect any
document in the possession of an owner, operator, service provider, or any other person if the document is relevant to a claim for reimbursement under this Section or may inspect a drycleaning facility for which a claim for benefits under this Act has been submitted.
(b) The Council shall pre‑approve, and the contracting parties shall seek pre‑approval for, a contract entered into under this Act if the cost of the contract exceeds $75,000. The Council or its designee shall review and approve or disapprove all contracts entered into under this Act. However, review by the Council or its designee shall not be required when an emergency situation exists. All contracts entered into by the Council shall be awarded on a competitive basis to the maximum extent practical. In those situations where it is determined that bidding is not practical, the basis for the determination of impracticability shall be documented by the Council or its designee. (c) The Council may prioritize the expenditure of funds from the remedial action account whenever it determines that there are not sufficient funds to settle all current claims. In prioritizing, the Council may consider the following: (1) the degree to which human health is affected by
the exposure posed by the release;
(2) the reduction of risk to human health derived
from remedial action compared to the cost of the remedial action;
(3) the present and planned uses of the impacted
property; and
(4) other factors as determined by the Council. (d) The Council shall adopt rules allowing the direct payment from the Fund to a contractor who performs remediation. The rules concerning the direct payment shall include a provision that any applicable deductible must be paid by the drycleaning facility prior to any direct payment from the Fund. (e) The Council may purchase reinsurance coverage to reduce the Fund's potential liability for reimbursement of remedial action costs. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/30) Sec. 30. Independent contractors retained by Council. (a) A contract entered into to retain a person to act as the administrator of the Fund shall be subject to public bid, provided that no such contract shall be entered into without the review and approval of the Director of the Agency. The Council may enter into a contract or an agreement authorized under this Act with a person, the Agency, the Department of Revenue, other departments, agencies, or governmental subdivisions of this State, another state, or the United States, in connection with its administration and implementation of this Act. (b) The Council may reimburse a public or private contractor retained pursuant to this Section for expenses incurred in the execution of a contract or agreement. Reimbursable expenses include the costs of performing duties or powers specifically delegated by the Council. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/35) Sec. 35. Illinois Insurance Code exemptions. The Fund, including but not limited to insurance coverage offered under the insurance account, is not subject to the provisions of the Illinois Insurance Code. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Fund shall not be considered an insurance company or an insurer under the laws of this State and shall not be a member of nor be entitled to a claim against the Illinois Insurance Guaranty Fund. (Source: P.A. 90‑502, eff. 8‑19‑97.)
(415 ILCS 135/40) Sec. 40. Remedial action account. (a) The remedial action account is established to provide reimbursement to eligible claimants for drycleaning solvent investigation, remedial action planning, and remedial action activities for existing drycleaning solvent contamination discovered at their drycleaning facilities. (b) The following persons are eligible for reimbursement from the remedial action account: (1) In the case of claimant who is the owner or
operator of an active drycleaning facility licensed by the Council under this Act at the time of application for remedial action benefits afforded under the Fund, the claimant is only eligible for reimbursement of remedial action costs incurred in connection with a release from that drycleaning facility, subject to any other limitations under this Act.
(2) In the case of a claimant who is the owner of an
inactive drycleaning facility and was the owner or operator of the drycleaning facility when it was an active drycleaning facility, the claimant is only eligible for reimbursement of remedial action costs incurred in connection with a release from the drycleaning facility, subject to any other limitations under this Act.
(c) An eligible claimant requesting reimbursement from the remedial action account shall meet all of the following: (1) The claimant demonstrates that the source of the
release is from the claimant's drycleaning facility.
(2) At the time the release was discovered by the
claimant, the claimant and the drycleaning facility were in compliance with the Agency reporting and technical operating requirements.
(3) The claimant reported the release in a timely
manner to the Agency in accordance with State law.
(4) The claimant applying for reimbursement has not
filed for bankruptcy on or after the date of his or her discovery of the release.
(5) If the claimant is the owner or operator of an
active drycleaning facility, the claimant has provided to the Council proof of implementation and maintenance of the following pollution prevention measures:
(A) That all drycleaning solvent wastes
generated at a drycleaning facility be managed in accordance with applicable State waste management laws and rules.
(B) A prohibition on the discharge of wastewater
from drycleaning machines or of drycleaning solvent from drycleaning operations to a sanitary sewer or septic tank or to the surface or in groundwater.
(C) That every drycleaning facility: (I) install a containment dike or other
containment structure around each machine, item of equipment, drycleaning area, and portable waste container in which any drycleaning solvent is utilized, which shall be capable of containing leaks, spills, or releases of drycleaning solvent from that machine, item, area, or container. The containment dike or other containment structure shall be capable of at least the following: (i) containing a capacity of 110% of the drycleaning solvent in the largest tank or vessel within the machine; (ii) containing 100% of the drycleaning solvent of each item of equipment or drycleaning area; and (iii) containing 100% of the drycleaning solvent of the largest portable waste container or at least 10% of the total volume of the portable waste containers stored within the containment dike or structure, whichever is greater.
Petroleum underground storage tank systems
that are upgraded in accordance with USEPA upgrade standards pursuant to 40 CFR Part 280 for the tanks and related piping systems and use a leak detection system approved by the USEPA or IEPA are exempt from this secondary containment requirement; and
(II) seal or otherwise render impervious
those portions of diked floor surfaces on which a drycleaning solvent may leak, spill, or otherwise be released.
(D) A requirement that all drycleaning solvent
shall be delivered to drycleaning facilities by means of closed, direct‑coupled delivery systems.
(6) An active drycleaning facility has maintained
continuous financial assurance for environmental liability coverage in the amount of at least $500,000 at least since the date of award of benefits under this Section or July 1, 2000, whichever is earlier. An uninsured drycleaning facility that has filed an application for insurance with the Fund by January 1, 2004, obtained insurance through that application, and maintained that insurance coverage continuously shall be considered to have conformed with the requirements of this subdivision (6). To conform with this requirement the applicant must pay the equivalent of the total premiums due for the period beginning June 30, 2000 through the date of application plus a 20% penalty of the total premiums due for that period.
(7) The release was discovered on or after July 1,
1997 and before July 1, 2006.
(d) A claimant shall submit a completed application form provided by the Council. The application shall contain documentation of activities, plans, and expenditures associated with the eligible costs incurred in response to a release
(415 ILCS 135/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Act. (Source: P.A. 90‑502, eff. 8‑19‑97.)
(415 ILCS 135/5) Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act: (a) "Active drycleaning facility" means a drycleaning facility actively engaged in drycleaning operations and licensed under Section 60 of this Act. (b) "Agency" means the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. (c) "Claimant" means an owner or operator of a drycleaning facility who has applied for reimbursement from the remedial account or who has submitted a claim under the insurance account with respect to a release. (d) "Council" means the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Council. (e) "Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund" or "Fund" means the fund created under Section 10 of this Act. (f) "Drycleaning facility" means a facility located in this State that is or has been engaged in drycleaning operations for the general public, other than a: (1) facility located on a United States military
base;
(2) industrial laundry, commercial laundry, or linen
supply facility;
(3) prison or other penal institution that engages
in drycleaning only as part of a Correctional Industries program to provide drycleaning to persons who are incarcerated in a prison or penal institution or to resident patients of a State‑operated mental health facility;
(4) not‑for‑profit hospital or other health care
facility; or a
(5) facility located or formerly located on federal
or State property.
(g) "Drycleaning operations" means drycleaning of apparel and household fabrics for the general public, as described in Standard Industrial Classification Industry No. 7215 and No. 7216 in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual (SIC) by the Technical Committee on Industrial Classification. (h) "Drycleaning solvent" means any and all nonaqueous solvents, including but not limited to a chlorine‑based or petroleum‑based formulation or product, including green solvents, that are used as a primary cleaning agent in drycleaning operations. (i) "Emergency" or "emergency action" means a situation or an immediate response to a situation to protect public health or safety. "Emergency" or "emergency action" does not mean removal of contaminated soils, recovery of free product, or financial hardship. An "emergency" or "emergency action" would normally be expected to be directly related to a sudden event or discovery and would last until the threat to public health is mitigated. (j) "Groundwater" means underground water that occurs within the saturated zone and geologic materials where the fluid pressure in the pore space is equal to or greater than the atmospheric pressure. (k) "Inactive drycleaning facility" means a drycleaning facility that is not being used for drycleaning operations and is not registered under this Act. (l) "Maintaining a place of business in this State" or any like term means (1) having or maintaining within this State, directly or through a subsidiary, an office, distribution facility, distribution house, sales house, warehouse, or other place of business or (2) operating within this State as an agent or representative for a person or a person's subsidiary engaged in the business of selling to persons within this State, irrespective of whether the place of business or agent or other representative is located in this State permanently or temporary, or whether the person or the person's subsidiary engages in the business of selling in this State. (m) "No Further Remediation Letter" means a letter provided by the Agency pursuant to Section 58.10 of Title XVII of the Environmental Protection Act. (n) "Operator" means a person or entity holding a business license to operate a licensed drycleaning facility or the business operation of which the drycleaning facility is a part. (o) "Owner" means (1) a person who owns or has possession or control of a drycleaning facility at the time a release is discovered, regardless of whether the facility remains in operation or (2) a parent corporation of the person under item (1) of this subdivision. (p) "Parent corporation" means a business entity or other business arrangement that has elements of common ownership or control or that uses a long‑term contractual arrangement with a person to avoid direct responsibility for conditions at a drycleaning facility. (q) "Person" means an individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, corporation, consortium, joint venture, or other commercial entity. (r) "Program year" means the period beginning on July 1 and ending on the following June 30. (s) "Release" means any spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, escaping, leaching, or dispersing of drycleaning solvents from a drycleaning facility to groundwater, surface water, or subsurface soils. (t) "Remedial action" means activities taken to comply with Sections 58.6 and 58.7 of the Environmental Protection Act and rules adopted by the Pollution Control Board under those Sections. (u) "Responsible party" means an owner, operator, or other person financially responsible for costs of remediation of a release of drycleaning solvents from a drycleaning facility. (v) "Service provider" means a consultant, testing laboratory, monitoring well installer, soil boring contractor, other contractor, lender, or any other person who provides a product or service for which a claim for reimbursement has been or will be filed against the remedial account or insurance account, or a subcontractor of such a person. (w) "Virgin facility" means a drycleaning facility that has never had chlorine‑based or petroleum‑based drycleaning solvents stored or used at the property prior to it becoming a green solvent drycleaning facility. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/10) Sec. 10. Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund. (a) The Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund is created as a special fund in the State Treasury. Moneys deposited into the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of the Council and for other purposes as provided in this Act. The Fund shall include moneys credited to the Fund under this Act and other moneys that by law may be credited to the Fund. The State Treasurer may invest Funds deposited into the Fund at the direction of the Council. Interest, income from the investments, and other income earned by the Fund shall be credited to and deposited into the Fund. Pursuant to appropriation, all moneys in the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund shall be disbursed by the Agency to the Council for the purpose of making disbursements, if any, in accordance with this Act and for the purpose of paying the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Council. After June 30, 1999, pursuant to appropriation, all moneys in the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund may be used by the Council for the purpose of making disbursements, if any, in accordance with this Act and for the purpose of paying the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Council. The Fund may be divided into different accounts with different depositories to fulfill the purposes of the Act as determined by the Council. Moneys in the Fund at the end of a State fiscal year shall be carried forward to the next fiscal year and shall not revert to the General Revenue Fund. (b) The specific purposes of the Fund include but are not limited to the following: (1) To establish an account to fund remedial action
of drycleaning solvent releases from drycleaning facilities as provided by Section 40.
(2) To establish an insurance account for insuring
environmental risks from releases from drycleaning facilities within this State as provided by Section 45.
(c) The State, the General Revenue Fund, and any other Fund of the State, other than the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund, shall not be liable for a claim or cause of action in connection with a drycleaning facility not owned or operated by the State or an agency of the State. All expenses incurred by the Fund shall be payable solely from the Fund and no liability or obligation shall be imposed upon the State. The State is not liable for a claim presented against the Fund. (d) The liability of the Fund is limited to the extent of coverage provided by the account under which a claim is submitted, subject to the terms and conditions of that coverage. The liability of the Fund is further limited by the moneys made available to the Fund, and no remedy shall be ordered that would require the Fund to exceed its then current funding limitations to satisfy an award or which would restrict the availability of moneys for higher priority sites. (e) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit, restrict, or affect the authority and powers of the Agency or another State agency or statute unless the State agency or statute is specifically referenced and the limitation is clearly set forth in this Act. (Source: P.A. 90‑502, eff. 8‑19‑97; 91‑453, eff. 8‑6‑99.)
(415 ILCS 135/15) Sec. 15. Creation of Council. (a) The Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Council is established and shall consist of the following voting members to be appointed by the Governor: (1) Four members who own or operate a drycleaning
facility. These members shall serve 3 year terms, except that of the initial members appointed, one shall be appointed for a term of one year, one for a term of 2 years, and one for a term of 3 years.
(2) One member who represents wholesale distributors
of drycleaning solvents. This member shall serve for a term of 3 years.
(3) One member who represents the drycleaning
equipment manufacturers and vendor community. This member shall serve for a term of 3 years.
(4) One member with experience in financial markets
or the insurance industry. This member shall serve for a term of 3 years.
Each member shall have experience, knowledge, and expertise relating to the subject matter of this Act. (b) The Governor may remove any member of the Council for incompetency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office after service on him or her of a copy of the written charges against him or her and after an opportunity to be publicly heard in person or by counsel in his or her own defense no earlier than 10 days after the Governor has provided notice of the opportunity to the Council member. Evidence of incompetency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office may be provided to the Governor by the Agency or the Auditor General following the annual audit described in Section 80. (c) Members of the Council are entitled to receive reimbursement of actual expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties within the limit of funds appropriated to the Council or made available to the Fund. The Governor shall appoint a chairperson of the Council from among the members of the Council. (d) The Attorney General's office or its designee shall provide legal counsel to the Council. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/20) Sec. 20. Council rules. (a) The Council may adopt rules in accordance with the emergency rulemaking provisions of Section 5‑45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act for one year after the effective date of this Act. Thereafter, the Council shall conduct general rulemaking as provided under the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. (b) The Council shall adopt rules regarding its practice and procedures for investigating and settling claims made against the Fund, determining reimbursement guidelines, coordinating with the Agency, and otherwise implementing and administering the Fund under this Act. (c) The Council shall adopt rules regarding its practice and procedures to develop underwriting standards, establish insurance account coverage and risk factors, settle claims made against the insurance account of the Fund, determine appropriate deductibles or retentions in coverages or benefits offered under the insurance account of the Fund, determine reimbursement guidelines, and otherwise implement and administer the insurance account under this Act. (d) The Council shall adopt rules necessary for the implementation and collection of insurance account premiums prior to offering insurance to an owner or operator of a drycleaning facility or other person. (e) The Council shall adopt rules prescribing requirements for the retention of records by an owner or operator and the periods for which he or she must retain those records. (f) The Council shall adopt rules describing the manner in which all disbursed moneys received from the Agency shall be deposited with a bank or savings and loan association to be approved by the Council. For purposes of this subsection, the Council shall be considered a public agency and, therefore, no bank or savings and loan association shall receive public funds from the Council, and the Council shall not make any investments, unless in accordance with the Public Funds Investment Act. (g) All final Council decisions regarding the Fund or any reimbursement from the Fund and any decision concerning the classification of drycleaning solvents pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 65 of this Act and any notice of the assessment of civil penalties under Section 69 of this Act shall be subject to appeal to the Administrator of the Council, by the affected parties, within 60 days after the final decision. The Council shall determine by rule persons who have standing to appeal final Council decisions. Any written decision by the Administrator may be appealed to the Council within 60 days after the Administrator's final decision. Any decision by the Council may be appealed to the Council's administrative law judge within 60 days after the Council's final decision. Notice of any hearing provided for by this Act shall be given not less than 7 days before the day fixed for the hearing. An appeal of the administrative law judge's decision will be subject to judicial review in accordance with the Administrative Review Law. Any decision not timely appealed shall become a final administrative decision without the necessity of a final administrative decision being issued and shall be deemed to be a final administrative decision. The Council shall adopt rules relating to appeal procedures. The Council may designate an attorney, employed by the Council or privately employed, to act as an administrative law judge to preside at any administrative hearing resulting from the appeal of a Council decision. The Council and the Department of Revenue are authorized to enter into an agreement whereby an administrative law judge employed by the Department may be assigned to preside at the administrative hearings. Proof of the Council's administrative decision may be made at any administrative or legal proceeding by a reproduced copy of the Council's record relating to the decision under the certificate of the Council. A reproduced copy shall, without further proof, be admitted into evidence and shall be prima facie proof of the decision. The provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and any rules adopted under the Administrative Review law by the Council, shall govern all proceedings for the judicial review of final administrative decisions of the Council. The term "administrative decision" has the same meaning as it does in Section 3‑101 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Venue for an administrative review action challenging the results of an administrative hearing upholding an administrative decision issued by the Council shall be proper in the Circuit Court of the county where the plaintiff has its principal place of business, or Sangamon County if the plaintiff's principal place of business is located outside Illinois. (Source: P.A. 96‑774, eff. 1‑1‑10.)
(415 ILCS 135/25) Sec. 25. Powers and duties of the Council. (a) The Council shall have all of the general powers reasonably necessary and convenient to carry out its purposes and may perform the following functions, subject to any express limitations contained in this Act: (1) Take actions and enter into agreements necessary
to reimburse claimants for eligible remedial action expenses, assist the Agency to protect the environment from releases, reduce costs associated with remedial actions, and establish and implement an insurance program.
(2) Acquire and hold personal property to be used
for the purpose of remedial action.
(3) Purchase, construct, improve, furnish, equip,
lease, option, sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of one or more improvements under the terms it determines. The Council may define "improvements" by rule for purposes of this Act.
(4) Grant a lien, pledge, assignment, or other
encumbrance on one or more revenues, assets of right, accounts, or funds established or received in connection with the Fund, including revenues derived from fees or taxes collected under this Act.
(5) Contract for the acquisition or construction of
one or more improvements or parts of one or more improvements or for the leasing, subleasing, sale, or other disposition of one or more improvements in a manner the Council determines.
(6) Cooperate with the Agency in the implementation
and administration of this Act to minimize unnecessary duplication of effort, reporting, or paperwork and to maximize environmental protection within the funding limits of this Act.
(7) Except as otherwise provided by law, inspect any
document in the possession of an owner, operator, service provider, or any other person if the document is relevant to a claim for reimbursement under this Section or may inspect a drycleaning facility for which a claim for benefits under this Act has been submitted.
(b) The Council shall pre‑approve, and the contracting parties shall seek pre‑approval for, a contract entered into under this Act if the cost of the contract exceeds $75,000. The Council or its designee shall review and approve or disapprove all contracts entered into under this Act. However, review by the Council or its designee shall not be required when an emergency situation exists. All contracts entered into by the Council shall be awarded on a competitive basis to the maximum extent practical. In those situations where it is determined that bidding is not practical, the basis for the determination of impracticability shall be documented by the Council or its designee. (c) The Council may prioritize the expenditure of funds from the remedial action account whenever it determines that there are not sufficient funds to settle all current claims. In prioritizing, the Council may consider the following: (1) the degree to which human health is affected by
the exposure posed by the release;
(2) the reduction of risk to human health derived
from remedial action compared to the cost of the remedial action;
(3) the present and planned uses of the impacted
property; and
(4) other factors as determined by the Council. (d) The Council shall adopt rules allowing the direct payment from the Fund to a contractor who performs remediation. The rules concerning the direct payment shall include a provision that any applicable deductible must be paid by the drycleaning facility prior to any direct payment from the Fund. (e) The Council may purchase reinsurance coverage to reduce the Fund's potential liability for reimbursement of remedial action costs. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/30) Sec. 30. Independent contractors retained by Council. (a) A contract entered into to retain a person to act as the administrator of the Fund shall be subject to public bid, provided that no such contract shall be entered into without the review and approval of the Director of the Agency. The Council may enter into a contract or an agreement authorized under this Act with a person, the Agency, the Department of Revenue, other departments, agencies, or governmental subdivisions of this State, another state, or the United States, in connection with its administration and implementation of this Act. (b) The Council may reimburse a public or private contractor retained pursuant to this Section for expenses incurred in the execution of a contract or agreement. Reimbursable expenses include the costs of performing duties or powers specifically delegated by the Council. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/35) Sec. 35. Illinois Insurance Code exemptions. The Fund, including but not limited to insurance coverage offered under the insurance account, is not subject to the provisions of the Illinois Insurance Code. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Fund shall not be considered an insurance company or an insurer under the laws of this State and shall not be a member of nor be entitled to a claim against the Illinois Insurance Guaranty Fund. (Source: P.A. 90‑502, eff. 8‑19‑97.)
(415 ILCS 135/40) Sec. 40. Remedial action account. (a) The remedial action account is established to provide reimbursement to eligible claimants for drycleaning solvent investigation, remedial action planning, and remedial action activities for existing drycleaning solvent contamination discovered at their drycleaning facilities. (b) The following persons are eligible for reimbursement from the remedial action account: (1) In the case of claimant who is the owner or
operator of an active drycleaning facility licensed by the Council under this Act at the time of application for remedial action benefits afforded under the Fund, the claimant is only eligible for reimbursement of remedial action costs incurred in connection with a release from that drycleaning facility, subject to any other limitations under this Act.
(2) In the case of a claimant who is the owner of an
inactive drycleaning facility and was the owner or operator of the drycleaning facility when it was an active drycleaning facility, the claimant is only eligible for reimbursement of remedial action costs incurred in connection with a release from the drycleaning facility, subject to any other limitations under this Act.
(c) An eligible claimant requesting reimbursement from the remedial action account shall meet all of the following: (1) The claimant demonstrates that the source of the
release is from the claimant's drycleaning facility.
(2) At the time the release was discovered by the
claimant, the claimant and the drycleaning facility were in compliance with the Agency reporting and technical operating requirements.
(3) The claimant reported the release in a timely
manner to the Agency in accordance with State law.
(4) The claimant applying for reimbursement has not
filed for bankruptcy on or after the date of his or her discovery of the release.
(5) If the claimant is the owner or operator of an
active drycleaning facility, the claimant has provided to the Council proof of implementation and maintenance of the following pollution prevention measures:
(A) That all drycleaning solvent wastes
generated at a drycleaning facility be managed in accordance with applicable State waste management laws and rules.
(B) A prohibition on the discharge of wastewater
from drycleaning machines or of drycleaning solvent from drycleaning operations to a sanitary sewer or septic tank or to the surface or in groundwater.
(C) That every drycleaning facility: (I) install a containment dike or other
containment structure around each machine, item of equipment, drycleaning area, and portable waste container in which any drycleaning solvent is utilized, which shall be capable of containing leaks, spills, or releases of drycleaning solvent from that machine, item, area, or container. The containment dike or other containment structure shall be capable of at least the following: (i) containing a capacity of 110% of the drycleaning solvent in the largest tank or vessel within the machine; (ii) containing 100% of the drycleaning solvent of each item of equipment or drycleaning area; and (iii) containing 100% of the drycleaning solvent of the largest portable waste container or at least 10% of the total volume of the portable waste containers stored within the containment dike or structure, whichever is greater.
Petroleum underground storage tank systems
that are upgraded in accordance with USEPA upgrade standards pursuant to 40 CFR Part 280 for the tanks and related piping systems and use a leak detection system approved by the USEPA or IEPA are exempt from this secondary containment requirement; and
(II) seal or otherwise render impervious
those portions of diked floor surfaces on which a drycleaning solvent may leak, spill, or otherwise be released.
(D) A requirement that all drycleaning solvent
shall be delivered to drycleaning facilities by means of closed, direct‑coupled delivery systems.
(6) An active drycleaning facility has maintained
continuous financial assurance for environmental liability coverage in the amount of at least $500,000 at least since the date of award of benefits under this Section or July 1, 2000, whichever is earlier. An uninsured drycleaning facility that has filed an application for insurance with the Fund by January 1, 2004, obtained insurance through that application, and maintained that insurance coverage continuously shall be considered to have conformed with the requirements of this subdivision (6). To conform with this requirement the applicant must pay the equivalent of the total premiums due for the period beginning June 30, 2000 through the date of application plus a 20% penalty of the total premiums due for that period.
(7) The release was discovered on or after July 1,
1997 and before July 1, 2006.
(d) A claimant shall submit a completed application form provided by the Council. The application shall contain documentation of activities, plans, and expenditures associated with the eligible costs incurred in response to a release
(415 ILCS 135/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Act. (Source: P.A. 90‑502, eff. 8‑19‑97.)
(415 ILCS 135/5) Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act: (a) "Active drycleaning facility" means a drycleaning facility actively engaged in drycleaning operations and licensed under Section 60 of this Act. (b) "Agency" means the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. (c) "Claimant" means an owner or operator of a drycleaning facility who has applied for reimbursement from the remedial account or who has submitted a claim under the insurance account with respect to a release. (d) "Council" means the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Council. (e) "Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund" or "Fund" means the fund created under Section 10 of this Act. (f) "Drycleaning facility" means a facility located in this State that is or has been engaged in drycleaning operations for the general public, other than a: (1) facility located on a United States military
base;
(2) industrial laundry, commercial laundry, or linen
supply facility;
(3) prison or other penal institution that engages
in drycleaning only as part of a Correctional Industries program to provide drycleaning to persons who are incarcerated in a prison or penal institution or to resident patients of a State‑operated mental health facility;
(4) not‑for‑profit hospital or other health care
facility; or a
(5) facility located or formerly located on federal
or State property.
(g) "Drycleaning operations" means drycleaning of apparel and household fabrics for the general public, as described in Standard Industrial Classification Industry No. 7215 and No. 7216 in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual (SIC) by the Technical Committee on Industrial Classification. (h) "Drycleaning solvent" means any and all nonaqueous solvents, including but not limited to a chlorine‑based or petroleum‑based formulation or product, including green solvents, that are used as a primary cleaning agent in drycleaning operations. (i) "Emergency" or "emergency action" means a situation or an immediate response to a situation to protect public health or safety. "Emergency" or "emergency action" does not mean removal of contaminated soils, recovery of free product, or financial hardship. An "emergency" or "emergency action" would normally be expected to be directly related to a sudden event or discovery and would last until the threat to public health is mitigated. (j) "Groundwater" means underground water that occurs within the saturated zone and geologic materials where the fluid pressure in the pore space is equal to or greater than the atmospheric pressure. (k) "Inactive drycleaning facility" means a drycleaning facility that is not being used for drycleaning operations and is not registered under this Act. (l) "Maintaining a place of business in this State" or any like term means (1) having or maintaining within this State, directly or through a subsidiary, an office, distribution facility, distribution house, sales house, warehouse, or other place of business or (2) operating within this State as an agent or representative for a person or a person's subsidiary engaged in the business of selling to persons within this State, irrespective of whether the place of business or agent or other representative is located in this State permanently or temporary, or whether the person or the person's subsidiary engages in the business of selling in this State. (m) "No Further Remediation Letter" means a letter provided by the Agency pursuant to Section 58.10 of Title XVII of the Environmental Protection Act. (n) "Operator" means a person or entity holding a business license to operate a licensed drycleaning facility or the business operation of which the drycleaning facility is a part. (o) "Owner" means (1) a person who owns or has possession or control of a drycleaning facility at the time a release is discovered, regardless of whether the facility remains in operation or (2) a parent corporation of the person under item (1) of this subdivision. (p) "Parent corporation" means a business entity or other business arrangement that has elements of common ownership or control or that uses a long‑term contractual arrangement with a person to avoid direct responsibility for conditions at a drycleaning facility. (q) "Person" means an individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, corporation, consortium, joint venture, or other commercial entity. (r) "Program year" means the period beginning on July 1 and ending on the following June 30. (s) "Release" means any spilling, leaking, emitting, discharging, escaping, leaching, or dispersing of drycleaning solvents from a drycleaning facility to groundwater, surface water, or subsurface soils. (t) "Remedial action" means activities taken to comply with Sections 58.6 and 58.7 of the Environmental Protection Act and rules adopted by the Pollution Control Board under those Sections. (u) "Responsible party" means an owner, operator, or other person financially responsible for costs of remediation of a release of drycleaning solvents from a drycleaning facility. (v) "Service provider" means a consultant, testing laboratory, monitoring well installer, soil boring contractor, other contractor, lender, or any other person who provides a product or service for which a claim for reimbursement has been or will be filed against the remedial account or insurance account, or a subcontractor of such a person. (w) "Virgin facility" means a drycleaning facility that has never had chlorine‑based or petroleum‑based drycleaning solvents stored or used at the property prior to it becoming a green solvent drycleaning facility. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/10) Sec. 10. Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund. (a) The Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund is created as a special fund in the State Treasury. Moneys deposited into the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of the Council and for other purposes as provided in this Act. The Fund shall include moneys credited to the Fund under this Act and other moneys that by law may be credited to the Fund. The State Treasurer may invest Funds deposited into the Fund at the direction of the Council. Interest, income from the investments, and other income earned by the Fund shall be credited to and deposited into the Fund. Pursuant to appropriation, all moneys in the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund shall be disbursed by the Agency to the Council for the purpose of making disbursements, if any, in accordance with this Act and for the purpose of paying the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Council. After June 30, 1999, pursuant to appropriation, all moneys in the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund may be used by the Council for the purpose of making disbursements, if any, in accordance with this Act and for the purpose of paying the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Council. The Fund may be divided into different accounts with different depositories to fulfill the purposes of the Act as determined by the Council. Moneys in the Fund at the end of a State fiscal year shall be carried forward to the next fiscal year and shall not revert to the General Revenue Fund. (b) The specific purposes of the Fund include but are not limited to the following: (1) To establish an account to fund remedial action
of drycleaning solvent releases from drycleaning facilities as provided by Section 40.
(2) To establish an insurance account for insuring
environmental risks from releases from drycleaning facilities within this State as provided by Section 45.
(c) The State, the General Revenue Fund, and any other Fund of the State, other than the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund, shall not be liable for a claim or cause of action in connection with a drycleaning facility not owned or operated by the State or an agency of the State. All expenses incurred by the Fund shall be payable solely from the Fund and no liability or obligation shall be imposed upon the State. The State is not liable for a claim presented against the Fund. (d) The liability of the Fund is limited to the extent of coverage provided by the account under which a claim is submitted, subject to the terms and conditions of that coverage. The liability of the Fund is further limited by the moneys made available to the Fund, and no remedy shall be ordered that would require the Fund to exceed its then current funding limitations to satisfy an award or which would restrict the availability of moneys for higher priority sites. (e) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit, restrict, or affect the authority and powers of the Agency or another State agency or statute unless the State agency or statute is specifically referenced and the limitation is clearly set forth in this Act. (Source: P.A. 90‑502, eff. 8‑19‑97; 91‑453, eff. 8‑6‑99.)
(415 ILCS 135/15) Sec. 15. Creation of Council. (a) The Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Council is established and shall consist of the following voting members to be appointed by the Governor: (1) Four members who own or operate a drycleaning
facility. These members shall serve 3 year terms, except that of the initial members appointed, one shall be appointed for a term of one year, one for a term of 2 years, and one for a term of 3 years.
(2) One member who represents wholesale distributors
of drycleaning solvents. This member shall serve for a term of 3 years.
(3) One member who represents the drycleaning
equipment manufacturers and vendor community. This member shall serve for a term of 3 years.
(4) One member with experience in financial markets
or the insurance industry. This member shall serve for a term of 3 years.
Each member shall have experience, knowledge, and expertise relating to the subject matter of this Act. (b) The Governor may remove any member of the Council for incompetency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office after service on him or her of a copy of the written charges against him or her and after an opportunity to be publicly heard in person or by counsel in his or her own defense no earlier than 10 days after the Governor has provided notice of the opportunity to the Council member. Evidence of incompetency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office may be provided to the Governor by the Agency or the Auditor General following the annual audit described in Section 80. (c) Members of the Council are entitled to receive reimbursement of actual expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties within the limit of funds appropriated to the Council or made available to the Fund. The Governor shall appoint a chairperson of the Council from among the members of the Council. (d) The Attorney General's office or its designee shall provide legal counsel to the Council. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/20) Sec. 20. Council rules. (a) The Council may adopt rules in accordance with the emergency rulemaking provisions of Section 5‑45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act for one year after the effective date of this Act. Thereafter, the Council shall conduct general rulemaking as provided under the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. (b) The Council shall adopt rules regarding its practice and procedures for investigating and settling claims made against the Fund, determining reimbursement guidelines, coordinating with the Agency, and otherwise implementing and administering the Fund under this Act. (c) The Council shall adopt rules regarding its practice and procedures to develop underwriting standards, establish insurance account coverage and risk factors, settle claims made against the insurance account of the Fund, determine appropriate deductibles or retentions in coverages or benefits offered under the insurance account of the Fund, determine reimbursement guidelines, and otherwise implement and administer the insurance account under this Act. (d) The Council shall adopt rules necessary for the implementation and collection of insurance account premiums prior to offering insurance to an owner or operator of a drycleaning facility or other person. (e) The Council shall adopt rules prescribing requirements for the retention of records by an owner or operator and the periods for which he or she must retain those records. (f) The Council shall adopt rules describing the manner in which all disbursed moneys received from the Agency shall be deposited with a bank or savings and loan association to be approved by the Council. For purposes of this subsection, the Council shall be considered a public agency and, therefore, no bank or savings and loan association shall receive public funds from the Council, and the Council shall not make any investments, unless in accordance with the Public Funds Investment Act. (g) All final Council decisions regarding the Fund or any reimbursement from the Fund and any decision concerning the classification of drycleaning solvents pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 65 of this Act and any notice of the assessment of civil penalties under Section 69 of this Act shall be subject to appeal to the Administrator of the Council, by the affected parties, within 60 days after the final decision. The Council shall determine by rule persons who have standing to appeal final Council decisions. Any written decision by the Administrator may be appealed to the Council within 60 days after the Administrator's final decision. Any decision by the Council may be appealed to the Council's administrative law judge within 60 days after the Council's final decision. Notice of any hearing provided for by this Act shall be given not less than 7 days before the day fixed for the hearing. An appeal of the administrative law judge's decision will be subject to judicial review in accordance with the Administrative Review Law. Any decision not timely appealed shall become a final administrative decision without the necessity of a final administrative decision being issued and shall be deemed to be a final administrative decision. The Council shall adopt rules relating to appeal procedures. The Council may designate an attorney, employed by the Council or privately employed, to act as an administrative law judge to preside at any administrative hearing resulting from the appeal of a Council decision. The Council and the Department of Revenue are authorized to enter into an agreement whereby an administrative law judge employed by the Department may be assigned to preside at the administrative hearings. Proof of the Council's administrative decision may be made at any administrative or legal proceeding by a reproduced copy of the Council's record relating to the decision under the certificate of the Council. A reproduced copy shall, without further proof, be admitted into evidence and shall be prima facie proof of the decision. The provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and any rules adopted under the Administrative Review law by the Council, shall govern all proceedings for the judicial review of final administrative decisions of the Council. The term "administrative decision" has the same meaning as it does in Section 3‑101 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Venue for an administrative review action challenging the results of an administrative hearing upholding an administrative decision issued by the Council shall be proper in the Circuit Court of the county where the plaintiff has its principal place of business, or Sangamon County if the plaintiff's principal place of business is located outside Illinois. (Source: P.A. 96‑774, eff. 1‑1‑10.)
(415 ILCS 135/25) Sec. 25. Powers and duties of the Council. (a) The Council shall have all of the general powers reasonably necessary and convenient to carry out its purposes and may perform the following functions, subject to any express limitations contained in this Act: (1) Take actions and enter into agreements necessary
to reimburse claimants for eligible remedial action expenses, assist the Agency to protect the environment from releases, reduce costs associated with remedial actions, and establish and implement an insurance program.
(2) Acquire and hold personal property to be used
for the purpose of remedial action.
(3) Purchase, construct, improve, furnish, equip,
lease, option, sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of one or more improvements under the terms it determines. The Council may define "improvements" by rule for purposes of this Act.
(4) Grant a lien, pledge, assignment, or other
encumbrance on one or more revenues, assets of right, accounts, or funds established or received in connection with the Fund, including revenues derived from fees or taxes collected under this Act.
(5) Contract for the acquisition or construction of
one or more improvements or parts of one or more improvements or for the leasing, subleasing, sale, or other disposition of one or more improvements in a manner the Council determines.
(6) Cooperate with the Agency in the implementation
and administration of this Act to minimize unnecessary duplication of effort, reporting, or paperwork and to maximize environmental protection within the funding limits of this Act.
(7) Except as otherwise provided by law, inspect any
document in the possession of an owner, operator, service provider, or any other person if the document is relevant to a claim for reimbursement under this Section or may inspect a drycleaning facility for which a claim for benefits under this Act has been submitted.
(b) The Council shall pre‑approve, and the contracting parties shall seek pre‑approval for, a contract entered into under this Act if the cost of the contract exceeds $75,000. The Council or its designee shall review and approve or disapprove all contracts entered into under this Act. However, review by the Council or its designee shall not be required when an emergency situation exists. All contracts entered into by the Council shall be awarded on a competitive basis to the maximum extent practical. In those situations where it is determined that bidding is not practical, the basis for the determination of impracticability shall be documented by the Council or its designee. (c) The Council may prioritize the expenditure of funds from the remedial action account whenever it determines that there are not sufficient funds to settle all current claims. In prioritizing, the Council may consider the following: (1) the degree to which human health is affected by
the exposure posed by the release;
(2) the reduction of risk to human health derived
from remedial action compared to the cost of the remedial action;
(3) the present and planned uses of the impacted
property; and
(4) other factors as determined by the Council. (d) The Council shall adopt rules allowing the direct payment from the Fund to a contractor who performs remediation. The rules concerning the direct payment shall include a provision that any applicable deductible must be paid by the drycleaning facility prior to any direct payment from the Fund. (e) The Council may purchase reinsurance coverage to reduce the Fund's potential liability for reimbursement of remedial action costs. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/30) Sec. 30. Independent contractors retained by Council. (a) A contract entered into to retain a person to act as the administrator of the Fund shall be subject to public bid, provided that no such contract shall be entered into without the review and approval of the Director of the Agency. The Council may enter into a contract or an agreement authorized under this Act with a person, the Agency, the Department of Revenue, other departments, agencies, or governmental subdivisions of this State, another state, or the United States, in connection with its administration and implementation of this Act. (b) The Council may reimburse a public or private contractor retained pursuant to this Section for expenses incurred in the execution of a contract or agreement. Reimbursable expenses include the costs of performing duties or powers specifically delegated by the Council. (Source: P.A. 93‑201, eff. 1‑1‑04.)
(415 ILCS 135/35) Sec. 35. Illinois Insurance Code exemptions. The Fund, including but not limited to insurance coverage offered under the insurance account, is not subject to the provisions of the Illinois Insurance Code. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Fund shall not be considered an insurance company or an insurer under the laws of this State and shall not be a member of nor be entitled to a claim against the Illinois Insurance Guaranty Fund. (Source: P.A. 90‑502, eff. 8‑19‑97.)
(415 ILCS 135/40) Sec. 40. Remedial action account. (a) The remedial action account is established to provide reimbursement to eligible claimants for drycleaning solvent investigation, remedial action planning, and remedial action activities for existing drycleaning solvent contamination discovered at their drycleaning facilities. (b) The following persons are eligible for reimbursement from the remedial action account: (1) In the case of claimant who is the owner or
operator of an active drycleaning facility licensed by the Council under this Act at the time of application for remedial action benefits afforded under the Fund, the claimant is only eligible for reimbursement of remedial action costs incurred in connection with a release from that drycleaning facility, subject to any other limitations under this Act.
(2) In the case of a claimant who is the owner of an
inactive drycleaning facility and was the owner or operator of the drycleaning facility when it was an active drycleaning facility, the claimant is only eligible for reimbursement of remedial action costs incurred in connection with a release from the drycleaning facility, subject to any other limitations under this Act.
(c) An eligible claimant requesting reimbursement from the remedial action account shall meet all of the following: (1) The claimant demonstrates that the source of the
release is from the claimant's drycleaning facility.
(2) At the time the release was discovered by the
claimant, the claimant and the drycleaning facility were in compliance with the Agency reporting and technical operating requirements.
(3) The claimant reported the release in a timely
manner to the Agency in accordance with State law.
(4) The claimant applying for reimbursement has not
filed for bankruptcy on or after the date of his or her discovery of the release.
(5) If the claimant is the owner or operator of an
active drycleaning facility, the claimant has provided to the Council proof of implementation and maintenance of the following pollution prevention measures:
(A) That all drycleaning solvent wastes
generated at a drycleaning facility be managed in accordance with applicable State waste management laws and rules.
(B) A prohibition on the discharge of wastewater
from drycleaning machines or of drycleaning solvent from drycleaning operations to a sanitary sewer or septic tank or to the surface or in groundwater.
(C) That every drycleaning facility: (I) install a containment dike or other
containment structure around each machine, item of equipment, drycleaning area, and portable waste container in which any drycleaning solvent is utilized, which shall be capable of containing leaks, spills, or releases of drycleaning solvent from that machine, item, area, or container. The containment dike or other containment structure shall be capable of at least the following: (i) containing a capacity of 110% of the drycleaning solvent in the largest tank or vessel within the machine; (ii) containing 100% of the drycleaning solvent of each item of equipment or drycleaning area; and (iii) containing 100% of the drycleaning solvent of the largest portable waste container or at least 10% of the total volume of the portable waste containers stored within the containment dike or structure, whichever is greater.
Petroleum underground storage tank systems
that are upgraded in accordance with USEPA upgrade standards pursuant to 40 CFR Part 280 for the tanks and related piping systems and use a leak detection system approved by the USEPA or IEPA are exempt from this secondary containment requirement; and
(II) seal or otherwise render impervious
those portions of diked floor surfaces on which a drycleaning solvent may leak, spill, or otherwise be released.
(D) A requirement that all drycleaning solvent
shall be delivered to drycleaning facilities by means of closed, direct‑coupled delivery systems.
(6) An active drycleaning facility has maintained
continuous financial assurance for environmental liability coverage in the amount of at least $500,000 at least since the date of award of benefits under this Section or July 1, 2000, whichever is earlier. An uninsured drycleaning facility that has filed an application for insurance with the Fund by January 1, 2004, obtained insurance through that application, and maintained that insurance coverage continuously shall be considered to have conformed with the requirements of this subdivision (6). To conform with this requirement the applicant must pay the equivalent of the total premiums due for the period beginning June 30, 2000 through the date of application plus a 20% penalty of the total premiums due for that period.
(7) The release was discovered on or after July 1,
1997 and before July 1, 2006.
(d) A claimant shall submit a completed application form provided by the Council. The application shall contain documentation of activities, plans, and expenditures associated with the eligible costs incurred in response to a release
