Illinois HB 1522 and What's All This About Stormwater Utility Fees?

We’ve been tracking the progress of HB 1522, or the stormwater utility fees bill, this spring. Now that this measure has passed both houses and is on the desk of Governor Quinn, we’re delving into what stormwater utility fees are, and what they might mean for Illinois residents.

What are stormwater utility fees?

A stormwater utility manages the rainwater running off houses, driveways, roadways, parking lots, and buildings of a municipality. Just as the electrical utilities charge for their product, so the stormwater utility relies on a fee for managing the extra runoff of a city. Since a local government usually manages the stormwater utility, the fee is often regarded as an additional tax. However, since the fee is charged for use of the utility, Illinois courts have ruled it a fee that even traditionally tax-exempt organizations like churches and schools must pay.

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning provides an extensive overview of stormwater utilities here.    

How much will it cost?

That largely depends on the funding structure adopted by your municipality. Champaign, IL, where several IWRC staff members happen to live, is using a graduated system based on the square footage of the impervious surface of a residence. For example, a home having between 500 and 6000 sf of impervious surface (including the driveway, deck, patios, etc.) will pay $4.94 a month, while homes between 6001 sf and 8000 sf will pay $10.55 per month. Any building other than a single family home will be billed $1.51 per 1000 sf per month. The City of Bloomington, IL charges fees based on the square footage of a property, and, for larger properties, even relies on aerial photography to determine how much runoff a property contributes. Some areas, like Bay County in Florida, have opted to charge a simple flat, annual fee of between $40 and $200. Since HB 1522 applies to DuPage and Peoria counties, it’s up to those counties to decide how the fees will be structured.  

Is there a way to reduce the fee?

HB 1522 included language directing counties to provide fee credits for property improvements that decrease stormwater or improve water quality. In Champaign, these improvements can include things like rain barrels, rain gardens, and green roofs. Bay County, FL waives the fee for qualified senior citizens, disabled veterans, and disabled persons, while Minneapolis, MN applies credits for either water quality or quantity improvements from actions like installing ponds or pervious pavement.

If your school wants to create a rain garden as part of their stormwater reduction efforts, check out this small grant program for some help.       

  

Rain Barrels as Dinner Conversation

I have a confession to make. Lately, I’ve been hijacking parties to talk up rain barrels to my friends. Fortunately for my agenda (and my social life), the cities of Champaign and Urbana are hosting a rain barrel sale this coming Saturday, May 25 (see complete info here), and, not only are the barrels half the price they would be at a hardware store, but they might also keep saving you money.

According to Scott Tess, the Urbana Environmental Sustainability Manager and one of the organizers of the sale, the primary purpose of rain barrels is to reduce potable water usage in landscaping. And, since the U.S. EPA estimates that about 30% of American water use is for landscaping, disconnecting your downspout could result in a smaller water bill.

Here in Champaign-Urbana, as in much of Illinois, there’s an additional benefit to saving some rainwater for later use: our water is supplied exclusively from groundwater. Unfortunately for our water use habits, though, the U.S. Geological Survey just released a report stating that the U.S. is rapidly using up its groundwater resources. Consequently, those 55 gallon rain barrels might make a big difference in keeping gardens green while still ensuring that groundwater resources are available in the future.

In a coming blog post, we’ll examine the work of IWRC-sponsored researchers Drs. Amy Ando and Catalina Londoño as they take a look at what motivates people to add rain barrels and other green infrastructure to their neighborhoods in the Chicago region.             

May Legislative Updates

 

HB 2753 Lake Michigan Wind Energy

Last time we updated, this bill had passed the House and was headed for the Senate Energy Committee. It has since passed out of committee, and was slated for a third reading on May 15. No word, yet, on progress since then.

We should also note that we got the HB number wrong on the last go round—it should be HB 2753, not 2758. 2758 is a school meal program update. While interesting, it’s not exactly in the province of Illinois Water. Sorry about that.

HB 1522 County Stormwater Management

This measure passed both Houses on May 16. We’ll update on DuPage and Peoria Counties’ stormwater plans as we hear more. 

HB 3086 Two-Year Fracking Moratorium/Ban

This measure is still sitting in the Rules Committee, although some new co-sponsors signed on in May.

HB 2615—Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act

Amendment 1—which added requirements regarding well crew staff members—was defeated on May 1. According to various news sources, this measure will be up for a vote again, soon.

HB 2907—EPA Disposal of PCBs

This measure is still sitting in the Rules Committee as of 22 March 2013 

SB 1868—EPA Hazardous Waste Siting

This measure was referred to the Assignments Committee as of 30 April 2013, and there it sits.

HB 1379 Water and Sewer Utilities Value

This measure was passed in both Houses on 16 May 2013

And here’s another important one we missed:

SB 1869

Summary: Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the corporate authorities of cities and villages must also maintain storm sewers, detention basins, and retention basins for drainage purposes.

Status: Passed both Houses as of 16 May 2013.

Water Jobs: Making Plans

Abby Crisostomo, an associate at the of the Metropolitan Planning Council, joins us today to discuss what it’s like to be a planner in the non-profit world. Abby grew up in Duluth, Minnesota but moved to Chicago to attend the University of Chicago and stayed to earn her master’s at the University of Illinois at Chicago. When not working hard to save water in Chicagoland, Abby enjoys swing dancing and chatting with @IllinoisWater on twitter.   

Would you please explain what an Associate with the Metropolitan Planning Council does?

MPC is a small organization without too much hierarchy, so everyone ends up doing a lot of different types of work. Associates handle much of the day-to-day management of our various projects. MPC does research, advocacy and on-the-ground implementation, so daily work can vary wildly from doing research to convening partners to coordinating meetings to site visits to writing reports and blog posts to attending conferences and giving presentations, and more.

How did you end up at the Metropolitan Planning Council?

I interned here while I was in grad school and loved what I was doing. I stayed on past the internship period to do my master’s project, and ended up getting hired full-time just as I was completing my degree.

How did you become interested in planning?

I’ve always been interested in the interdisciplinary nature of planning. Growing up, I always thought I’d go into law, as I thought that was the only way to get such a broad exposure to issues, but then I discovered planning while in undergrad taking a class from the urban sociologist, Saskia Sassen. I spent the rest of my undergrad years trying to learn more about what planning was. After graduation, I moved to New York City to work at a law firm, but on the side, I got involved with my local community association. I went to events by an organization similar to MPC in NYC (Municipal Arts Society), and took classes through Rutgers’ planning school and New York University’s real estate school. When I moved back to Chicago, I worked at the Alliance for the Great Lakes for a few years, which reignited interest I had in water issues and environmental policy, so I knew I wanted to go back to grad school to combine all those things.

What kind of education does a planner need?

Planners do such varied jobs, that there’s no one-size-fits-all path. It’s pretty standard to get a master’s degree in planning, public policy, public administration, architecture, or a specific policy topic (such as, environmental policy). Beyond that, on-the-job experience through internships is almost, if not more, important.

April Legislative Updates

Back in March we posted a list of water resources legislation in Illinois. Quite a bit has happened since then, so we've collected updates for the various measures. Please refer back to the March post for summaries of the bills.

HB 2758 Lake Michigan Wind Energy

• The House adopted Amendment 1 on 8 April 2013, which:
•  Changed the definition of public trust lands to mean the bed of Lake Michigan
• Removed the deadline for DNR’s siting matrix process
•  Removed provisions for DNR to identify prohibited and preferred development areas
•  Removed the provision that allowed any leases to be granted before the siting matrix was completed
• Sent to the Senate on 10 April 2013, when it went through its first reading
• Assigned the Energy Committee on 16 April 2013 

HB 1522 County Stormwater Management

• This measure went through its first and second readings in the Senate
• Was scheduled for Third Reading in 17 April 2013—we were unable to find any further updates 

HB 3086–Two-Year Moratorium/Ban  

•  Rules Committee Deadline was extended to 30 April 2013 on March 28
• Assigned to the Revenue and Finance Committee on 28 March 2013
• Proceeded to the Finance Subcommittee on 10 April 2013
• And is finally back in the Rules Committee on 19 April 2013, suggesting that it probably will not be brought to a vote this session    

HB 2615—Hydraulic Fracture Regulatory Act

• This measure is still in the Rules Committee, where it was re-referred on 22 March 2013, following the addition of a surprise amendment.   

HB 2907—EPA Disposal of PCBs

•  This measure was also re-referred to the Rules Committee on 22 March 2013 

SB 1868—EPA Hazardous Waste Siting

• An additional floor amendment was filed on 15 April 2013, which changed some of the language of the bill
• As of 25 April 2013, the amendment has been postponed  

Oops, we missed this one:

HB 1379 Water and Sewer Utilities Value

Synopsis

•  Introduces an alternative appraisal process for determining rate and rating making practices of large utility providers when they buy water and sewer utilities 
• Allows for three appraisals of the real value of the water and sewer services; the average of the appraisals will be used to determine rate making
• Sets specific instructions on how appraisers and engineers will be chosen and how the public will be informed about changes in utility ownership

Status: This bill was introduced in the House 6 February 2013, passed the House on 19 April 2013, and is now in the Senate, where it has been assigned to the Energy Committee.    

March Legislative Round-Up

The current session of the Illinois General Assembly has included several major pieces of legislation addressing water resources in Illinois. We’ve briefly summarized a few of those bills here as a general Water Wednesday update. This is by no means an exhaustive list of all that’s proposed; for a complete update on what’s going on in Springfield, check out the Legislation and Laws portion of the Illinois General Assembly webpage.