OLD UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS

104th Regular Session Introduced by Dee Avelar and 6 co-sponsors

HB 4941 clarifies which underground storage tanks are “old” by using installation dates before January 1, 1976, rather than age.

Sent to the Governor

Bill Summary: HB 4941 (104th Illinois General Assembly) – OLD UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS

Purpose and intent

The bill addresses underground storage tanks (USTs) that are “old” under a specific age criterion and provides amended language to clarify installation dates for those tanks. The amendment indicates a shift from an age-based criterion (over 30 years old) to a fixed installation date (before January 1, 1976).

Key provisions and changes

Amendment focus:

Replace references to tanks being “over 30 years before removal” with the date-based standard “before January 1, 1976” in multiple locations of the bill.
This aligns qualification of old USTs with a concrete historical installation date rather than age.

Targeted sections (as specified by amendment text):

Page 3: replace lines referencing “over 30 years before removal” with “before January 1, 1976.”
Page 3: replace lines referencing “over 30 years prior to removal” with “before January 1, 1976.”
Page 5: replace lines referencing “over 30 years old” with “installed before January 1, 1976.”
Page 6: replace lines referencing “over 30 years old” with “installed before January 1, 1976.”

Overall effect: Establishes a clear cut-off date (pre-1976) for identifying “old” underground storage tanks, replacing a more ambiguous age standard.

Affected entities and stakeholders

Owners and operators of underground storage tanks that were installed before January 1, 1976.

State environmental or regulatory agencies responsible for UST regulation, inspection, remediation, and enforcement.

Contractors, consultants, and property owners dealing with legacy USTs, potential removal, closure, or containment projects.

Public health and environmental conservation interests due to potential environmental and groundwater protection implications.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Sponsor and committee history:

Filed by Rep. Joyce Mason (with several cosponsors).
Referred to Energy & Environment Committee; subsequently advanced through House process with multiple amendments and floor actions.
Multiple amendments considered and adopted or withdrawn during April 2026; the measure progressed to House floor and passed at the chamber level (details show favorable action with a “Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 109-000-000” on 2026-04-16, before further Senate consideration).

Next steps (based on process history):

If enacted by the House, the bill would move to the Senate for consideration, where it would undergo its own committee review and floor vote.
Implementation would depend on final passage and any gubernatorial action.

Notes on scope and potential impact

The shift to a fixed installation date may simplify determinations for regulatory applicability and compliance for legacy USTs.

Specific regulatory consequences (e.g., requirements for closure, removal, retrofitting, or environmental remediation) would depend on the broader provisions of HB 4941, including any requirements tied to old USTs beyond the amendment (not fully detailed in the provided text).

Financial implications (costs of removal, replacement, or containment) would vary by site, but the date-based criterion could affect how many facilities are subject to certain regulatory mandates.

If you’d like, I can extract additional details from the bill’s full text or track the bill’s status through the Illinois General Assembly as it progresses.