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SB 1686

ENVIRONMENTAL PARTICIPATION

104th Regular Session Introduced by Christopher Belt

Creates Illinois EPA Office of Environmental Justice and an EJ Public Participation Program to boost outreach, permit transparency, and dispute handling in EJ-concern areas.

Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
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Bill Summary · SB 1686

Summary — SB 1686: “Environmental Participation” (Environmental Justice Public Participation Program)

Note: The provided materials include two different SB 1686 texts (one Arizona bill about elections and a separate Illinois bill amending the Environmental Justice Act). This summary covers the Illinois bill titled “Environmental Participation” that amends the Environmental Justice Act (415 ILCS 155) and creates an Environmental Justice Public Participation Program.

Main purpose

Establish an Office of Environmental Justice within the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Agency) and create an Environmental Justice Public Participation Program to improve outreach, notification, permitting transparency, and grievance procedures for communities identified as “areas of environmental justice concern.”

Key provisions

  • Definitions
    • “Area of environmental justice concern” = a census block group (or area within 1 mile of one) with either (a) average household income below the federal poverty guideline, or (b) a minority population greater than twice the statewide average.
    • “EJ Start” = the Agency’s GIS mapping tool for identifying such areas; to be updated with each federal decennial census.
  • Office of Environmental Justice
    • Created within the Agency as the primary coordinating office.
    • Duties: liaison on environmental justice, conduct enhanced outreach in designated areas, respond to inquiries and public comments on permitting actions raising environmental justice concerns.
  • Scope — permitting actions covered (when located in EJ concern areas on EJ Start)
    • Construction permits for new sources requiring a CAAPP (Clean Air Act Permit Program) permit or a FESOP.
    • New Source Review (NSR) permits for major modifications.
    • Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permits for major modifications.
  • Notification requirements
    • The Office must use “environmental justice notifications” to contact residents, elected officials and interested parties in affected EJ areas about proposed permit actions.
    • Notifications must include facility name/address, Bureau ID, permit application number, project summary, public notice details, and relevant contact/information.
  • Reconsideration of EJ designation
    • Residents may request Agency reconsideration if EJ Start was applied in error, by providing census data showing the area should (or should not) be designated.
  • Permit application requirements for covered transactions
    • Applications must include an Environmental Impact Analysis with:
    • Air dispersion modeling showing air-quality impacts combined with existing mobile and stationary sources.
    • Quantitative analysis of effects on the immediately surrounding community.
    • A new $500 fee accompanies the permit application (in addition to existing fees).
  • Grievance procedure and reporting
    • Agency must establish a grievance procedure compliant with 40 CFR Parts 5 & 7 to address Title VI / Civil Rights complaints and violations of this Act.
    • Agency must provide annual reports to the Commission on Environmental Justice summarizing grievance status.

Who is affected

  • Communities identified as “areas of environmental justice concern” (low‑income and/or high‑minority populations).
  • Facilities applying for major air permitting actions (CAAPP, FESOP, NSR, PSD) in or near those areas.
  • The Illinois EPA (new office and added responsibilities) and regulated entities (additional analysis and $500 fee).

Procedural / status notes

  • Text indicates the bill was introduced in the Illinois Senate (Sen. Christopher Belt) on 2/5/2025. The provided packet also contains unrelated materials from another SB 1686 (Arizona); if you need the precise, up‑to‑date procedural history for the Illinois measure (committee referrals, votes, current status), I can pull that information.

Potential impacts (summary)

  • Increases Agency outreach and community notice for certain major air permits in vulnerable communities.
  • Requires more detailed air-quality and community impact analyses for covered permits and adds a modest application fee.
  • Creates a grievance mechanism and a formal Office of Environmental Justice to centralize and track EJ issues — likely increasing transparency and opportunities for community participation, and imposing additional compliance steps for applicants.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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