Bill > HB5070

This bill amends the Environmental Protection Act to ensure that the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB), referred to as the "Board," cannot adopt environmental regulations that are less strict than existing Board rules, even when adopting federal regulations that are "identical in substance" to those from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The bill clarifies that while the Board often adopts federal rules verbatim to secure federal authorization for environmental programs, it must not weaken existing protections. It also states that this bill does not prevent individuals or the Board from proposing or adopting regulations that are *more* stringent than those set by the USEPA Administrator.