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University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Illinois Environmental Law - Pollution and Sustainability : IL Environmental Statutes

This LibGuide serves as a reference aid for Illinois Statutory Law regarding environmental and pollution regulations, sustainability initiatives, and energy efficiency standards. Commercial groups are encouraged to use guide to meet state requirements.

Looking for legislative updates?

If you're looking for updates to current Illinois environmental laws or for the General Assembly's legislative agendas, check out the following:

Understanding Illinois Environmental Laws

The Environmental Protection Act (415 ILCS 5/1 et seq.) is Illinois' primary statute for restoring, protecting, and enhancing the environment (see box at right). Other statutes govern environmental protection in specific circumstances or locations. Those statutes are listed in the boxes below.

The links below provide assistance with tracking pending legislation and locating statutes not included in the Environmental Protection Act.

Significant Public Acts in Environmental Safety

Chapter 415 Environmental Safety excluding the Environmental Protection Act (see box at right)

  • Act 10 Local Solid Waste Disposal Act (415 ILCS 10)
  • Act 15 Solid Waste Planning And Recycling Act (415 ILCS 15)
  • Act 20 Illinois Solid Waste Management Act (415 ILCS 20)
  • Act 30 Illinois Water Well Construction Code (415 ILCS 30)
  • Act 45 Public Water Supply Operations Act (415 ILCS 45)
  • Act 55 Illinois Groundwater Protection Act (415 ILCS 55)
  • Act 56 Green Infrastructure For Clean Water Act (415 ILCS 56)
  • Act 60 Illinois Pesticide Act (415 ILCS 60)
  • Act 85 Toxic Pollution Prevention Act (415 ILCS 85)
  • Act 92 Regulation Of Phosphorus In Detergents Act (415 ILCS 92)
  • Act 130 Interstate Ozone Transport Oversight Act (415 ILCS 130)
  • Act 135 Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Act (415 ILCS 135)
  • Act 140 Kyoto Protocol Act Of 1998 (415 ILCS 140)
  • Act 150 Electronic Products Recycling And Reuse Act (415 ILCS 150)

Significant Statutes and Public Acts

Illinois Compiled Statutes relating to Environmental Regulations outside of Chapter 415

Chapter 15 Executive Officers

  • Act 215 Pollution Abatement Enforcement Act (15 ILCS 215)

Chapter 20 Executive Branch

  • Act 20 Agency Energy Efficiency Act (20 ILCS 20)
  • Act 605 Civil Administrative Code of Illinois (Department of Commerce and Economic Law) (20 ILCS 605)
  • Act 608 Business Assistance and Regulatory Reform Act (20 ILCS 608)
  • Act 805 Civil Administrative Code of Illinois (Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law) (20 ILCS 805)
  • Act 830 Interagency Wetland Policy Act of 1989 (20 ILCS 830)
  • Act 1920 Abandoned Mined Lands and Water Reclamation Act(20 ILCS 1920)
  • Act 2705 Civil Administrative Code of Illinois (Department of Transportation Law) (20 ILCS 2705)
  • Act 3130 Green Buildings Act   (20 ILCS 3130)
  • Act 3310 Nuclear Safety Law of 2004 (20 ILCS 3310)
  • Act 3515 Illinois Environmental Facilities Financing Act (20 ILCS 3515)
  • Act 3954 Green Governments Illinois Act (20 ILCS 3954)
  • Act 4003 Mississippi River Coordinating Council Act (20 ILCS 4003)
  • Act 4060 Wabash and Ohio Rivers Coordinating Council Act (20 ILCS 4060)

Chapter 30 Finance

  • Act 125 Environmental Protection Trust Fund Act (30 ILCS 125)

Chapter 45 Interstate Compacts

  • Act 60 Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Compact Act (45 ILCS 60)

Chapter 55 Counties

  • Act 5 Counties Code (55 ILCS 5)

Chapter 60 Townships

  • Act 1 Township Code (60 ILCS 1)

Chapter 65 Municipalities

  • Act 5 Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5)

Chapter 70 Special Districts

  • Act 405 Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act (70 ILCS 405)
  • Act 410 Conservation District Act (70 ILCS 410)
  • Act 503 Chanute-Rantoul National Aviation Center Redevelopment Commission Act (70 ILCS 503)
  • Act 504 Central Illinois Economic Development Authority Act (70 ILCS 504)
  • Act 506 Eastern Illinois Economic Development Authority Act (70 ILCS 506)
  • Act 519 Southern Illinois Economic Development Authority Act (70 ILCS 519)
  • Act 531 Illinois Urban Development Authority Act (70 ILCS 531)
  • Act 605 Illinois Drainage Code (70 ILCS 605)
  • Act 610 Drainage District Pollution Abatement Act (70 ILCS 610)
  • Act 805 Downstate Forest Preserve District Act (70 ILCS 805)
  • Act 2105 River Conservancy Districts Act (70 ILCS 2105)
  • Act 2305 North Shore Sanitary District Act (70 ILCS 2305)
  • Act 2405 Sanitary District Act of 1917 (70 ILCS 2405)
  • Act 2605 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act (70 ILCS 2605)
  • Act 2805 Sanitary District Act of 1936 (70 ILCS 2805)
  • Act 3615 Regional Transportation Authority Act (70 ILCS 3615)
  • Act 3715 Water Authorities Act (70 ILCS 3715)

Chapter 105 Schools

  • Act 5 School Code (105 ILCS 5)

Chapter 110 Higher Education

  • Act 425 University of Illinois Scientific Surveys Act (110 ILCS 425)

Chapter 220 Utilities

  • Act 5 Public Utilities Act (220 ILCS 5)

Chapter 225 Professions and Occupations

  • Act 225 Private Sewage Disposal Licensing Act (225 ILCS 225)
  • Act 715 Surface-Mined Land Conservation and Reclamation Act (225 ILCS 715)
  • Act 720 Surface Coal Mining Land Conservation and Reclamation Act (225 ILCS 720)
  • Act 725 Illinois Oil and Gas Act (225 ILCS 725)
  • Act 732 Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act (225 ILCS 732)

Chapter 410 Public Health

  • Act 87 Indoor Air Quality Act (410 ILCS 87)

Chapter 420 Nuclear Safety

  • Act 20 Illinois Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Act (420 ILCS 20)

Chapter 510 Animals

  • Act 77 Livestock Management Facilities Act (510 ILCS 77)

Chapter 515 Fish

  • Act 5 Fish and Aquatic Life Code (515 ILCS 5)

Chapter 615 Waterways

  • Act 5 Rivers, Lakes, and Streams Act (615 ILCS 5)
  • Act 90 Fox Waterway Agency Act (615 ILCS 90)

Chapter 625 Vehicles

  • Act 5 Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5)

Chapter 740 Civil Liabilities

  • Act 113 Oil Spill Responders Liability Act (740 ILCS 113)