RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF FEBRUARY 20, 2025
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners supporting legislation in the Illinois General Assembly that addresses per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Body
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (District) is a special district unit of local government created by the Illinois General Assembly (ILGA) for the specific purposes of stormwater, wastewater and resource recovery management; and
WHEREAS, PFAS have emerged as contaminants of concern to communities and ecosystems served by public water and wastewater utilities such as the District; and
WHEREAS, public utilities such as the District have not manufactured PFAS yet still may have to spend money to monitor them, seek solutions for their treatment, explore approaches for preventing their entry into the system and otherwise protect public health; and
WHEREAS, there are presently pending in the Illinois General Assembly (ILGA), several bills that focus on source control of PFAS and minimizing and removing PFAS from entering the ecosystem and/or holding manufacturers of PFAS responsible for treatment and cleanup costs of removing PFAS from the ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, the Board supports legislation in the ILGA that seeks to address PFAS source control, acknowledges accountability for PFAS costs rests with PFAS manufacturers and seeks reimbursement to public utilities for PFAS related cleanup costs; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the District does hereby support and urges the Illinois General Assembly to advance legislation addressing PFAS both in this legislative session and in future legislative sessions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that his Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Dated: February 20, 2025