SB3917 - Illinois Environmental Protection Act PFAS Testing Requirements
Summary
Illinois Governor signed SB3917 into law, amending the Environmental Protection Act to mandate PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) testing under NPDES wastewater discharge permits. The law requires major facilities and POTWs to conduct periodic influent, effluent, and biosolids sampling for PFAS compounds with accredited analytical methods. New permit applications and land application permits for sludge or biosolids must include comprehensive PFAS characterization.
What changed
The law mandates that all NPDES permits for facilities designated as major by the Illinois EPA and U.S. EPA must require PFAS sampling. POTWs must conduct periodic sampling of influent, effluent, and biosolids, while other facilities must perform periodic effluent sampling. New permit applications for wastewater discharges with potential PFAS must fully characterize the discharge through accredited analytical methods. Additionally, the Illinois EPA cannot issue land application permits for sludge or biosolids without PFAS sample results, and such permits must include ongoing periodic sampling requirements.
Illinois facilities with NPDES permits face expanded compliance obligations for PFAS monitoring and testing. POTW operators and industrial facilities must establish sampling protocols, use accredited analytical methods, and incorporate PFAS testing data into permit applications. Land application operations handling sludge or biosolids will need to conduct PFAS characterization before obtaining or renewing permits. Compliance costs may increase due to specialized testing requirements, though the law provides flexibility by referencing accredited methods rather than mandating specific test protocols.
What to do next
- Major NPDES-permitted facilities and POTWs must implement periodic PFAS sampling protocols for influent, effluent, and biosolids
- New NPDES permit applicants must submit full PFAS characterization data for wastewater discharges with potential PFAS content
- Facilities seeking land application permits for sludge or biosolids must include PFAS sample results before permit issuance
Penalties
Non-compliance with NPDES permit conditions may result in Illinois EPA enforcement actions including penalties; specific fine amounts not stated.
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / Illinois / SB3917 Signed by Governor SB3917 Senate Bill Signed by Governor 2026-02-06
EPA-WASTE DISCHARGE PERMIT
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that all National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits authorizing a discharge from a facility designated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a major facility, shall, at a minimum, require for publicly owned treatment works, periodic sampling of influent, effluent, and biosolids for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods and, for all other facilities, periodic effluent sampling for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods. Provides that the Agency shall require any NPDES permit application for a discharge of wastewater that has potential to contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances to fully characterize the discharge through sample results for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods. Provides that the Agency shall not issue any permit under specified provisions for the land application of a sludge or biosolids unless the application includes sample results for the sludge or biosolids for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods. Provides that any permit issued under specified provisions for the land application of a sludge or biosolids shall require, at minimum, periodic sampling of the sludge or biosolids for all perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances for which there are accredited wastewater analytical methods.
Bill Details
State Illinois
Session 104th General Assembly
Chamber Senate
Official Source www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus?DocNum...
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Sponsors
Laura Fine (Sen - D) Julie Morrison (Sen - D) Adriane Johnson (Sen - D)
Action History
2026-04-06 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 5 Referred to Assignments 2026-04-06 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 5 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Laura Fine 2026-03-31 S Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Adriane Johnson 2026-03-25 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 4 Assignments Refers to Environment and Conservation 2026-03-24 S Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 25, 2026 2026-03-24 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Adopted; Fine 2026-03-24 S Second Reading 2026-03-24 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 4 Referred to Assignments 2026-03-24 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 4 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Laura Fine 2026-03-13 S Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments 2026-03-10 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-8(b-1), the following amendments will remain in the Committee on Assignments 2026-03-10 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Be Approved for Consideration Assignments 2026-03-09 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 Referred to Assignments 2026-03-09 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Laura Fine 2026-03-06 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Assignments 2026-03-06 S Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Laura Fine 2026-03-05 S Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 10, 2026 2026-03-05 S Do Pass Environment and Conservation; 009-001-000 2026-03-05 S Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Postponed - Environment and Conservation 2026-03-04 S Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Julie A. Morrison 2026-03-03 S Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Environment and Conservation 2026-03-02 S Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments 2026-03-02 S Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Laura Fine 2026-02-24 S Assigned to Environment and Conservation 2026-02-06 S Referred to Assignments 2026-02-06 S First Reading 2026-02-06 S Filed with Secretary by Sen. Laura Fine
Committee Referrals
2026-02-06 S Assignments 2026-02-24 S Environment and Conservation 2026-03-02 S Assignments 2026-03-03 S Environment and Conservation 2026-03-06 S Assignments 2026-03-25 S Environment and Conservation 2026-04-06 S Assignments
Amendments
2026-03-02 Senate Amendment 001 2026-03-06 Senate Amendment 002 2026-03-09 Senate Amendment 003 2026-03-24 Senate Amendment 004 2026-04-06 Senate Amendment 005
Bill Text Versions
2026-02-06 Introduced Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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