Title IX. Variances  

    (415 ILCS 5/35) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1035)
    Sec. 35. Variances; general provisions. To the extent consistent with applicable provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as now or hereafter amended, the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (P.L. 93-523), as now or hereafter amended, the Clean Air Act as amended in 1977 (P.L. 95-95), and regulations pursuant thereto, and to the extent consistent with applicable provisions of the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-580), and regulations pursuant thereto:
    (a) The Board may grant individual variances beyond the limitations prescribed in this Act, whenever it is found, upon presentation of adequate proof, that compliance with any rule or regulation, requirement or order of the Board would impose an arbitrary or unreasonable hardship. However, the Board is not required to find that an arbitrary or unreasonable hardship exists exclusively because the regulatory standard is under review and the costs of compliance are substantial and certain. In granting or denying a variance the Board shall file and publish a written opinion stating the facts and reasons leading to its decision.
    (b) The Agency shall grant provisional variances whenever it is found, upon presentation of adequate proof, that compliance on a short term basis with any rule or regulation, requirement or order of the Board, or with any permit requirement, would impose an arbitrary or unreasonable hardship.
(Source: P.A. 93-152, eff. 7-10-03.)

    (415 ILCS 5/36) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1036)
    Sec. 36. Variances and provisional variances.
    (a) In granting a variance the Board may impose such conditions as the policies of this Act may require. If the hardship complained of consists solely of the need for a reasonable delay in which to correct a violation of this Act or of the Board regulations, the Board shall condition the grant of such variance upon the posting of sufficient performance bond or other security to assure the completion of the work covered by the variance. The Board shall have no authority to delegate to the Agency its powers to require such performance bond. The original amount of such performance bond shall not exceed the reasonable cost of the work to be completed pursuant to the variance. The obligation under such bond shall at no time exceed the reasonable cost of work remaining pursuant to the variance.
    (b) Except as provided by Section 38 of this Act, any variance granted pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be granted for such period of time, not exceeding five years, as shall be specified by the Board at the time of the grant of such variance, and upon the condition that the person who receives such variance shall make such periodic progress reports as the Board shall specify. Such variance may be extended from year to year by affirmative action of the Board, but only if satisfactory progress has been shown.
    (c) Any provisional variance granted by the Agency pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 35 shall be for a period of time not to exceed 45 days. A provisional variance may be extended up to an additional 45 days by written decision of the Agency. The provisional variances granted to any one person shall not exceed a total of 90 days during any calendar year.
(Source: P.A. 93-152, eff. 7-10-03.)

    (415 ILCS 5/37) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1037)
    Sec. 37. Variances; procedures.
    (a) Any person seeking a variance pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 35 shall do so by filing a petition for variance with the Board and providing a copy of the petition to the Agency. Any person filing such a petition shall (i) pay a filing fee, (ii) promptly give written notice of such petition to any person in the county in which the installation or property for which variance is sought is located who has filed with the Board a written request for notice of variance petitions, the State's attorney of such county, the Chairman of the County Board of such county, and to each member of the General Assembly from the legislative district in which that installation or property is located, and (iii) publish a single notice of such petition in a newspaper of general circulation in such county. The notices required by this Section shall be in a format prescribed by the Board and shall include the street address, and if there is no street address then the legal description or the location with reference to any well known landmark, highway, road, thoroughfare or intersection.
    The Agency shall promptly investigate such petition and consider the views of persons who might be adversely affected by the grant of a variance. The Agency shall make a recommendation to the Board as to the disposition of the petition. If the Board, in its discretion, concludes that a hearing would be advisable, or if the Agency or any other person files a written objection to the grant of such variance within 21 days, together with a written request for hearing, then a hearing shall be held, under the rules prescribed in Sections 32 and 33 (a) of this Act, and the burden of proof shall be on the petitioner.
    (b) Any person seeking a provisional variance pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 35 shall make a request to the Agency. The Agency shall promptly investigate and consider the merits of the request. If the Agency fails to take final action within 30 days after receipt of the request for a provisional variance, or if the Agency denies the request, the person may initiate a proceeding with the Board under subsection (a) of Section 35.
    If the Agency grants a provisional variance, the Agency must promptly file a copy of its written decision with the Board, and shall give prompt notice of its action to the public by issuing a press release for distribution to newspapers of general circulation in the county. The Board must maintain for public inspection copies of all provisional variances filed with it by the Agency.
(Source: P.A. 98-822, eff. 8-1-14.)

    (415 ILCS 5/38) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1038)
    Sec. 38. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), if the Board fails to take final action upon a variance request within 120 days after the filing of the petition or the receipt of a request for hearing pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 37, whichever is later, the petitioner may deem the request granted under this Act, for a period not to exceed one year. However, the period of 120 days shall not run for any such period of time, not to exceed 30 days, during which the Board is without sufficient membership to constitute the quorum required by subsection (a) of Section 5 of this Act, provided that such 120 day period shall not be stayed for lack of quorum beyond 30 days regardless of whether the lack of quorum exists at the beginning of such 120 day period or occurs during the running of such 120 day period.
    (b) If any person files a petition for a variance from a rule or regulation within 20 days after the effective date of such rule or regulation, the operation of such rule or regulation shall be stayed as to such person pending the disposition of the petition; provided, however, that the operation of any rule or regulation adopted by the Board which implements, in whole or in part, a State RCRA, UIC, or NPDES program shall not be stayed.
    The Board may hold a hearing upon said petition 5 days from the date of notice of such hearing or thereafter. All the provisions of this Title shall apply to petitions for extension of existing variances and to proposed Contaminant Reduction programs designed to secure delayed compliance with the Act or with Board regulations.
    (c) Subsection (a) shall not apply to a request for a variance from any provision of this Act or any rule or regulation adopted by the Board which implements, in whole or in part, a State RCRA, UIC, or NPDES program. If the Board fails to take final action on any request for a variance from any such rule or regulation within 120 days of the filing of the petition, the Petitioner shall be entitled to an Appellate Court order pursuant to Section 41(d) of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 87-914.)