On December 17, 2020, the Board adopted rule amendments to Illinois’ ambient air quality standards. The amendments keep these standards “identical in substance” to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

On December 3, 2020, the Board issued a final opinion and order amending its regulations on handling “potentially infectious medical waste” or “PIMW.” Specifically, the Board amended its definition of “Class 4 etiologic agent,” which bears on the definition of PIMW. The amendments add four viral agents to the “Class 4 etiologic agent” definition: Guanarito virus; Sabia; Ebola virus; and Equine Morbillivurs. The amendments also reflect non-substantive changes suggested by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.

On December 3, 2020, the Board adopted final amendments to its wastewater pretreatment rules at 35 Ill. Adm. Code 310. The amendments are “identical in substance” to actions taken during the first half of 2020 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Specifically, on April 15, 2020, USEPA revised its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) electronic reporting (eReporting) rule for municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s). Some accompanying revisions to more general aspects of the NPDES eReporting rule also affected reporting for the wastewater pretreatment program. The Board’s amendments incorporated those general reporting revisions into the Illinois rules.

On November 19, 2020, the Board issued a second-notice opinion and order proposing a new Part 249 of its air pollution rules. As proposed, Part 249 requires the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to monitor ambient air across Illinois for background levels of ethylene oxide (EtO). EtO is a flammable gas that has many uses, including sterilizing medical equipment. Under the proposed rules, IEPA must monitor for EtO in or around the locations of Northbrook, Schiller Park, Nilwood, Alton, and Bondville—where IEPA has monitoring stations. IEPA must monitor for six consecutive calendar months and place the air monitoring results on its website.

On August 13, 2020, the Board adopted final amendments to its administrative rules (2 Ill. Adm. Code 2175) under Section 5-15 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act (5 ILCS 100/5-15). The administrative rules describe the Board’s organization, the types of Board proceedings, how to pay filing and copying fees, and how the public may access information from the Board. The amendments primarily address three areas.

On October 15, 2020, the Board accepted for hearing a rulemaking proposal to regulate volatile organic material (VOM) emissions from aerospace manufacturing and rework operations in the Metro East counties of Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair. The proposal was filed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).

On September 17, 2020, the Board proposed rule amendments to Illinois’ wastewater pretreatment standards. The amendments will keep these standards “identical in substance” to those of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

On September 17, 2020, the Board proposed rule amendments to Illinois’ ambient air quality standards. The amendments will keep these standards “identical in substance” to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

At a special meeting on August 27, 2020, the Board adopted a new rule to replace an emergency rule that had taken effect on April 17, 2020. The new rule—35 Ill. Adm. Code 604.1520 (“COVID-19 Emergency Provisions”)—extends the period for cross connection control device inspectors (CCCDIs) to renew their 2020 CCCDI approvals. CCCDIs play an important role in protecting public health and welfare by helping to ensure that public water supplies are protected from connections to and contamination by unsafe sources of water.

On August 13, 2020, the Board adopted “identical-in-substance” amendments to the Illinois ambient air quality standards. The rule amendments incorporate changes that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) adopted during 2019 and the second half of 2018 concerning the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

On August 27, 2020, the Board adopted amendments to its hazardous waste rules. The amendments, which took effect on September 3, 2020, are “identical in substance” to federal rule amendments made by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) during 2019 under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

On August 13, 2020, the Board adopted rule amendments that keep Illinois’ definition of “volatile organic material” (VOM) “identical in substance” to the federal definition of “volatile organic compound.” The amendments, which took effect on August 18, 2020, reflect action taken by the United States Environmental Protection Agency during the second half of 2018.

On August 27, 2020, the Board adopted new and amended rules to establish Illinois’ Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting program. The rulemaking began with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) filing its proposal as required by Section 9.1 of the Environmental Protection Act (415 ILCS 5/9.1(c) (2018); see Public Act 99-463, eff. Jan. 1, 2016). Having a State PSD program will effectuate two main changes. First, for PSD permitting, IEPA will assume responsibility from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Second, for hearing PSD permit appeals, the Board will assume responsibility from USEPA’s Environmental Appeals Board.

At a special meeting on July 27, 2020, the Board proposed a second-notice rule that, when it becomes effective, will replace an emergency rule extending the period for cross connection control device inspectors (CCCDIs) to renew their 2020 CCCDI approvals.

On July 16, 2020, the Board issued a final opinion and order amending its manifesting regulations on transporting non-hazardous special waste. The amendments allow transporters of State-regulated non-hazardous special waste to use manifests that are functionally identical to the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)—but without the financial and regulatory burdens associated with USEPA’s new e-Manifest System. The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules issued a “Certification of No Objection” to the rules at its June 16, 2020 meeting.

On June 18, 2020, the Board issued a second-notice opinion and order proposing a new Part 204 of its air pollution rules. As proposed, Part 204 would create Illinois’ Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting program. To conform its other rules to the proposed new program, the Board also proposed amending its air pollution rules at Parts 203, 211, and 215, as well as its procedural rules at Parts 101 and 105. In doing so, the Board addressed each of the public comments received during the first-notice period and submitted the proposal to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules for second-notice review.

On May 21, 2020, the Board issued a second-notice opinion and order proposing to amend its manifesting regulations on transporting non-hazardous special waste. In doing so, the Board addressed each of the public comments received during the first-notice period and submitted the proposed amendments to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) for review.

On May 21, 2020, for public comment and hearing, the Board proposed rule amendments that are “identical in substance” to federal actions taken during 2019 and the second half of 2018. The federal actions were taken by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and concerned the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The USEPA actions considered by the Board included the October 16, 2018 corrections to area designations for the 2015 NAAQS for ozone (O3); the December 27, 2018 and May 28, 2019 area redesingations for the 1997 primary NAAQS for fine particulate matter (PM2.5); the March 29, 2019, May 28, 2019, and September 26, 2019 designation of new federal reference methods (FRMs) and federal equivalent methods (FEMs) for sulfur dioxide (SO2), O3, and carbon monoxide; the August 23, 2019 area reclassification for O3; the September 13, 2019 reconsideration of an area designation for the 2016 SO2 NAAQS; and the December 15, 2019 release of an update to USEPA’s List of Designated Referenc

On May 21, 2020, for public comment, the Board proposed amendments to its hazardous waste rules. The proposed amendments are “identical in substance” to federal rule amendments made by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) during 2019 under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The USEPA actions considered were the February 22, 2019 Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Rule and the December 9, 2019 Universal Waste Aerosol Cans Rule. The Board also included proposed corrections to its RCRA Subtitle C hazardous waste rules and RCRA Subtitle D municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF) rules, many at the request of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

On May 21, 2020, for Illinois Register publication, the Board proposed a first-notice rule that, when it becomes effective, will replace an emergency rule that took effect on April 17, 2020. The proposed rule—35 Ill. Adm. Code 604.1520 (“COVID-19 Emergency Provisions”)—would extend the period for cross connection control device inspectors (CCCDIs) to renew their 2020 CCCDI approvals. CCCDIs play an important role in protecting public health and welfare by helping to ensure that public water supplies are protected from connections to and contamination by unsafe sources of water.