SB1673 Summary

• Establishes a new "time-limited water quality standard" mechanism allowing the Pollution Control Board to adopt temporary water quality standards for watersheds, water bodies, or dischargers through non-adjudicatory proceedings.

• Permits petitioners to seek time-limited water quality standards directly or to convert existing variance petitions into time-limited water quality standard petitions without paying additional filing fees.

• Creates automatic stays of effectiveness for new water quality standards for persons who file timely petitions or whose petitions are converted, lasting until the Board determines substantial compliance and the EPA approves or rejects the standard.

• Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to respond within 21 days of petition filing and the Board to enter interim orders identifying petition deficiencies, with petitioners having opportunity to file amended petitions.

• Provides direct appellate court review of final Board orders on time-limited water quality standards within 35 days, excluding these proceedings from standard Illinois Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking requirements.