ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACT

Creates the Environmental Justice Act. Creates the Illinois Environmental Justice Advisory Council to provide independent advice and recommendations to the Governor, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the other State agencies about broad, cross-cutting issues related to environmental justice and on policies, practices, and specific actions. Requires the Agency to: (1) develop and implement a strategy prioritizing enforcement in neighborhoods with environmental justice populations; (2) compile an annual report detailing the number and types of enforcement actions in neighborhoods with environmental justice populations; (3) establish and maintain a supplemental environmental project bank with specified requirements; (4) publish a progress report on environmental justice no less often than every 5 years; and (5) work with the Department of Public Health to establish health risk assessment guidelines and develop an online mapping tool that identifies specified information. Contains requirements for environmental impact reports. Requires the Director of the Agency to appoint a Director of Environmental Justice within the Agency to perform specified duties. Provides that State agencies shall (1) designate an environmental justice coordinator for each State agency to perform specified actions and (2) develop a specific policy or strategy to promote environmental justice. Establishes the Interagency Environmental Justice Working Group to maximize State resources, research, and technical assistance to further the purposes of the Act and of environmental justice in the State. Provides that environmental justice coordinators shall serve as their State agency's representative to the Interagency Environmental Working Group. Contains other provisions. Fiscal Note (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency) Illinois Environmental Protection Agency anticipates that this bill, if enacted, would necessitate the hiring of 4-5 full time employees to carry out program design and monitoring, research, rulemaking, IT, toxicological assessment, and regulatory responsibilities, at a cost of $600,000-$875,000.