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Small Business Environmental Assistance Program
Illinois Dept. of Commerce
& Economic Opportunity
500 East Monroe R-5
Springfield, IL 62701 |
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Click to Visit our Program website |
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 Illinois Updates
Illinois EPA's Asbestos Project Notification Fee Now Payable On-line via the Illinois E-pay System
Illinois EPA is the USEPA delegated authority to enforce the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for regulated asbestos in commercial and public buildings during demolition, renovation and disposal. Prior to any renovation or demolition activities, you must first inspect your facility or the affected portion of your facility for the presence of regulated Asbestos Containing Material (ACM). If a licensed inspector has determined that regulated ACM will be disturbed, a notification must be delivered or postmarked to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) at least 10 working days prior to the commencement of demolition or renovation if the amount of regulated ACM to be removed exceeds 160 square feet, 260 linear feet, or 1 cubic meter. Owners and operators subject to the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) are required to submit a $150 fee along with a Demolition/Renovation/Asbestos Project Notification Form 10 working days in advance of commencing a regulated asbestos demolition or renovation project.
The notification of demolition and renovation form can be found at the link below:
- Combined Demolition/Renovation/Asbestos Project Notification Form
The Combined Notification of Demolition and Renovation form is used for notifications sent to the Illinois EPA, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), City of Chicago and Cook County. A separate copy must be sent to each agency if you are required to send a form to IDPH, City of Chicago or Cook County. Electronic submission is not available at this time. Please print, provide original signature, and mail with $150 fee or proof of electronic payment to the above address.
For convenience, the Illinois EPA has setup electronic payment utilizing the Illinois E-Pay system. (Note: this is only for payment of fees required by Ilinois EPA, payments of fees that may be required by other entities such as the City of Chicago or Cook County must be paid to them directly.)
To make payment of initial notification fees to Illinois EPA, visit the link below:
WARNING:Payment of fees alone does not constitute compliance with regulatory requirements. All forms and reports must be submitted as applicable for your source's regulatory requirements as well as proof of payment. Failure to submit the Asbestos Demolition/Renovation/Asbestos Project Notification Form to the Illinois EPA 10 working days prior to start date could result in additional fees or penalties.
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Illinois Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act Signed into Law
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The Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act enacts the nation's strongest environmental protections for hydraulic fracturing and has the potential to create thousands of jobs in Southern Illinois.
"This new law will unlock the potential for thousands of jobs in Southern Illinois and ensure that our environment is protected," Governor Quinn said. "As I said in my budget address, hydraulic fracturing is coming to Illinois with the strongest environmental regulations in the nation. It's about jobs and it's about ensuring that our natural resources are protected for future generations. I applaud the many environmental advocates and representatives from government, labor and industry who worked with us to make Illinois a national model for transparency, environmental safety and economic development."
The law includes strong provisions to protect water quality, assure transparency and promote public involvement. Hydraulic fracturing is currently permitted without the necessary regulations or protections. Under the new law, Illinois will become the first state in the nation in which hydraulic fracturing operators will be required to submit pre- and post-fracturing chemical disclosures to the state. Knowing exactly what materials are being used will allow the state to better protect consumers and the environment. Additionally, Illinois will become the only state in the nation to require pre- and post-fracturing water testing. Operators will be required to provide a baseline water test prior to the act of hydraulic fracturing and then tests six months, 18 months and 30 months after operations have concluded. Illinois will also require the storage of fluid in above-ground closed tanks, rather than traditional pits.
The law includes strong public participation requirements; including a mandatory 30-day public comment period, a public hearing opportunity and a 15-day follow-up public comment period. The state will consider all submitted written comments and testimony from public hearings when making its decision to approve or deny the permit application.
The legislation was supported by numerous environmental advocacy groups, including the Sierra Club Illinois, Environmental Law and Policy Center, Natural Resources Defense Council and Illinois Environmental Council.
The new law is the product of extensive negotiations between the Governor's Office, industry groups, environmental groups, labor unions, legislators, the Attorney General's Office, and state agencies including the Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), which will manage implementation of the law.
The Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act can be found in its entirety at the following link: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=098-0022
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Forget Something? 2012 Annual Emission Reports were Due May 1st!
All air permitted sources must file their 2012 Annual Emissions Reports with the Illinois EPA annually. Sources should also note that reporting of Green Houses Gases became mandatory in 2011 and should complete the forms appropriately. For more information about Annual Emission Reports and links to helpful online emission calculators, click here.
If you are a facility covered under the new Registration of Smaller Sources (ROSS) program you no longer have to complete an Annual Emission Report.
If you have questions about completing your report please contact the Small Business Environmental Assistance Program at 800-252-3998
Proposed Rules for Radon Service Providers
The ILLINOIS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY proposed amendments to "Regulations for Radon Service Providers" (32 Ill Adm. Code 422; 37 Ill Reg 6987) that update the Part and reflect changes to statutes. The amendments allow IEMA to conduct performance audits of licensees' records at the Agency office; clarify license application and termination requirements; allow variances for building contractors; allow for an exam fee and remove fee waivers; allow licensed home inspectors to perform required activities during a measurement; clarify quality control requirements for school and commercial building measures; clarify device protocol to ensure only labs authorized by the manufacturer perform calibration and maintenance on electret devices; and allow drain tile to be used beneath soil gas retarders. Entities affected include most radon licensees (except for some who work for county health departments). Licensees who are employees of small municipalities will no longer be granted a fee waiver.
Questions/requests for copies/comments through 7/8/13: Traci Burton, IEMA, 1035 Outer Park Drive, Springfield IL 62704, 217/785-9860, Fax 217/524-3698.
A copy of the rule in its entirety can be found here:
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/index/register/register_volume37_issue21.pdf -- Go to Page 6987 to read the rule.
Nearly $7 Million in Disaster Assistance Loans Approved in Illinois
The U. S. Small Business Administration has approved nearly $7 million in Disaster Assistance Loans for residents and businesses in Illinois affected by the severe storms, winds and flooding between April 16 and May 5, 2013. The deadline to file an SBA disaster loan application for physical damage is
"Currently 233 disaster loans have been approved in the amount of $6,924,000 for affected survivors," said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA's Field Operations Center East in Atlanta. "We are pleased to get these loans approved so residents can start to rebuild and resume their normal lives. I encourage anyone who has not completed their disaster loan application to do so before the July 9 deadline."
Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. Businesses and non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquacultural, and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by mobile device at m.fema.gov. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free Helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY). The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) daily until further notice.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA's secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Additional details on the locations of Disaster Recovery Centers and the loan application process can be obtained by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is July 9, 2013. The deadline to return economic injury applications is February 10, 2014.
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Advantage Illinois
Advantage Illinois is The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity's DCEO) enhanced portfolio of lending and venture capital programs to help small businesses gain much-needed access to capital. The program is designed to provide Illinois businesses and entrepreneurs with access to the capital needed to start new companies and expand existing businesses. The $78 million federally-funded program encourages businesses to bring innovative ideas and new products to market, and accelerate job creation and economic growth in Illinois. Advantage Illinois consists of the Capital Access Program (CAP), Participation Loan Program (PLP), Collateral Support Program (CSP), and Invest Illinois Venture Fund Program (IIVF). Once the appropriate application process is complete, businesses will be able to begin accessing the capital loans. For complete information, click HERE.
Illinois Small Business Job Creation Tax Credit
The Illinois Small Business Jobs Creation Tax Credit program provides small business owners and non-profits with an extra boost to grow their business in our state. After creating one or more new, full-time positions that meet the eligibility requirements, small businesses can register online to receive a $2,500 per job tax credit. Small businesses are defined as companies with 50 or fewer full-time employees. Even new start-ups hiring their first full-time employees in Illinois would be eligible to receive the tax credit.
Eligible jobs would be those new positions that were created between July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2016, the new positions must pay at least $10/hour or $18,200/annually and the position must be sustained for one full year from the hire date. DCEO (Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) has created an extremely user-friendly website which allows for an applicant to register both their business and their newly created job(s) from the comfort of their home or office. For complete information and to register both your business and your newly created jobs, please click here (https://jobstaxcredit.illinois.gov/default.aspx).
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 Federal Updates
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Stratospheric Ozone Protection: Acceptable Substitutes for the Significant New Alternatives Policy Program
On May 17, 2013, the U.S. EPA made an effective determination to add acceptable substitutes for ozone-depleting substances under the U.S. EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. The new acceptable substitutes are used in the following areas: refrigeration and air conditioning; foam blowing; solvent cleaning; adhesives, coatings, and inks; and fire suppression. The industry of refrigeration and air conditioning uses the U.S. EPA's acceptable substitute R-442A in retrofit equipment at ice skating rinks, commercial ice machines, and retail food refrigeration (rack refrigeration systems only); R-442A is a blend by weight of the following: 31.1% hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-125, 30% HFC-134a, 3% R-152a, 5% HFC-227ea, and 31.1% HFC-32. The U.S. EPA has found that commercial blends of HFC-365mfc and HFC-227ea (which contains 7% to 13% of HFC-227ea and the rest being HFC-365mfc) as acceptable substitutes in the foam blowing industry which includes the following processes: rigid polyurethane spray; and extruded polystyrene, boardstock and billet. For the Solvent Cleaning category, the U.S. EPA found that trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-ene (marketed under the trade names Solstice™ 1233zd(E) and Solstice™ Performance Fluid) as an acceptable substitute in the following processes: metals cleaning, electronics cleaning, and precision cleaning. In the adhesives, coatings, and ink category, the U.S. EPA has determined that trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-ene is an acceptable substitute carrier solvent in adhesives and coatings. Finally, in the fire suppression category, the U.S. EPA has found that K-Ace (a blend by weight of 50% potassium acetate and 50% water) is an acceptable substitute for total flooding uses in both occupied and unoccupied areas. For more information on these accepted substitutions and previously accepted substitutions made by the U.S. EPA, including environmental information, flammability information, toxicity and exposure data, and comparison to other types of acceptable non-ozone depleting substitutes for each of these categories, please visit http://www.epa.gov/ozone/snap/index.html.
USEPA Frequently Asked Questions: Regulation of Used Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) and CRT Glass Available
The Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery is pleased to announce the release of a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the existing cathode ray tube (CRT) regulation.
USEPA has received many questions and concerns about different aspects of the CRT rule, and they have developed a set of questions and answers in response. The FAQs can be found on their website at: http://www.epa.gov/wastes/hazard/recycling/electron/crt-faq.htm
Any questions or concerns on the federal CRT regulation should be directed to Amanda Kohler at kohler.amanda@epa.gov
Information about Illinois' electronic waste regulations visit:
http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/electronic-waste-recycling/index.html
U.S. EPA Seeks Input on New Clean Air Standards for Solid Waste
Landfills
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting small businesses, governments, and not-for-profit organizations to participate as Small Entity Representatives (SERs) for a Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) Panel. This panel will focus on the agency's review of its New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for municipal solid waste landfills.
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to review new source performance standards every eight years and revise them if necessary. EPA is under a court-ordered deadline to complete its review and propose how to address the results of that review by Feb. 4, 2014 and to take final action by Dec. 17, 2014.
The panel will include federal representatives from the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and EPA. The panel members ask a selected group of SERs to provide advice and recommendations on behalf of their company, community, or organization to inform the panel members about the potential impacts of the proposed rule on small entities.
EPA seeks self-nominations directly from the small entities that may be subject to the rule requirements. Other representatives, such as trade associations that exclusively or at least primarily represent potentially regulated small entities, may also serve as SERs.
Self-nominations may be submitted through the link below and must be received by July 5, 2013.
Nominate yourself as a SER: http://www.epa.gov/rfa/landfill.html
Municipal solid waste landfills are disposal facilities in or on land for household waste. These landfills may receive certain other types of waste, such as non-hazardous sludge and commercial solid waste. Emissions from municipal solid waste landfills, known as "landfill gas," occur from decomposition of wastes.
More information on the New Source Performance Standards: http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/landfill/landflpg.html
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Environmental tip: During hot weather, don't top off your gas tank. Refuel your car or truck in the early morning or the evening when it's cooler. A small fuel spill may not seem like much, but every spill evaporates and adds to air pollution, and fuel pumps with vapor recovery systems can feed a spill back into their tanks - after you paid for it. So, in hot weather - don't top off! More information: http://www.epa.gov/donttopoff/ 
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