SB1656 Summary

• Renames the "Illinois Dead Animal Disposal Act" to the "Animal Mortality Act" and adds definitions for mass animal mortality events, the Director of Agriculture, dead animals, and operators responsible for animal disposal.

• Authorizes the Director of Agriculture to declare mass animal mortality events and requires notification to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency within 24 hours; requires the Department to create and file a mass animal mortality event plan with disposal options including burial, rendering, landfill transfer, composting, incineration, and other methods.

• Exempts sites and facilities used during declared mass animal mortality events from pollution control facility permitting requirements when waste is collected, stored, processed, disposed, or incinerated under an approved mass animal mortality event plan.

• Exempts owners and operators conducting waste disposal operations under a mass animal mortality event plan from requiring certain permits, while still requiring compliance with NPDES, PSD/NA NSR, State operating, and CAAPP permits as applicable.

• Updates the Criminal Code to reference the "Animal Mortality Act" instead of the "Illinois Dead Animal Disposal Act" for exemptions related to feeding garbage to animals.