About the Illinois EPA

History of the Illinois EPA

The Beginning - July 1, 1970

As the twentieth century began, the United States had few laws for protecting the environment. By the 1930s, the deplorable conditions of Illinois streams and lakes existing at the turn of the century were beginning to be addressed by the early environmental protection programs. However, there were still areas where water quality was seriously impacting aquatic life and the recreational uses of Illinois' streams and lakes.

In 1965, one in every three Americans believed pollution of air, water and land was a serious problem. During the late sixties, armed dump operators more than once drove inspectors away with threats of physical harm. Major cities meant smoke. Smog and soot seared the lungs, blackened buildings and caused paint to peel from structures. A century of growing or continuing pollution problems was causing increasing frustration among the country's citizens.

As the 1970s began, the time was ripe for expanding pollution control efforts. The first big public response to the pollution problem was Earth Day. Observed on April 22, 1970, Earth Day was the catalyst for focusing the nation on environmental problems and possible long-range solutions.

The forces working to promote needed progress came together with those committed to protecting environmental resources. The Illinois General Assembly became the first state legislature in the nation to adopt a comprehensive Environmental Protection Act. It was signed into law by Governor Richard Ogilvie and became effective July 1, 1970. The act set up a triumvirate of State agencies. Regulations would be determined by the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB), research would be handled by the Institute for Environmental Quality (now part of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) would function as the enforcement arm.

The two chief focuses of public and IEPA attention initially were pollution of air and surface water. Water pollution problems in Illinois were frequently a consequence of municipal growth that had surpassed the design capabilities and capacities of old sewage treatment facilities. The new Agency supported the successful Anti-Pollution Bond Act This act generated a $750 million bond fund to provide grant assistance to local communities for wastewater construction projects. The first grants, totaling $16 million, were awarded on August 30, 1971, to 39 municipalities.

On October 18, 1972, the federal Clean Water Act provided $24 billion in federal funding aimed at reducing surface water pollution by providing additional resources for constructing wastewater treatment facilities. This funding package was one of the largest in the nation's history, second only to the Interstate Highway System. The act also established a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, managed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The NPDES program was designed to eliminate polluting materials from municipal and industrial discharges to the nation's waterways. Over $2.7 billion in federal grant funds have been expended on municipal wastewater treatment facilities in Illinois.

The first task facing the 32 employees who made up the Division of Air Pollution Control was a huge sulfur dioxide and particulate matter problem. Between 1971 and 1972, Illinois experienced its biggest turnaround in air quality. Ambient air monitors located throughout the State in 1971 and 1972 revealed that six Illinois counties recorded annual averages above the national allowable level for sulfur dioxide. By the end of 1975, only Madison County recorded a sulfur dioxide air monitoring violation. For particulate matter, the story was much the same. In 1970, 18 counties recorded particulate violations above the national annual standard. Five years later, only half of the particulate violations continued.

While wastewater treatment and its multimillion dollar grants stood center stage, the newly-formed Division of Land Pollution Control was beginning to take a long look at the condition of the State's dumps, where regulation and improvement often meant only a higher fence. Also, in 1971, the USEPA announced a "Mission 5000" program that had as its chief goal the closure of 5,000 illegal dump sites around the nation. Illinois was among the top five states closing the greatest number of these dumps.

When the IEPA was established, Illinois already had extensive and experienced water pollution control and public drinking water programs in place and functioning for decades within the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The Environmental Protection Act shifted these activities to the IEPA. However, the federal Clean Water Act of 1972 and the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974 marked the start of constantly expanding federal requirements on water programs. In response to these new federal requirements, the Division of Public Water Supplies and the Division of Water Pollution Control found themselves regularly taking on new responsibilities.

In the early 1970s, Agency laboratory efforts focused on bacteriological and inorganic chemical analyses. Organic chemical analyses were carried out in one room loaned to the IEPA by the Illinois Department of Public Health Laboratory in Springfield. In 1974, the IEPA Springfield Organic Laboratory moved to converted office facilities at Churchill Road. This location was to be the laboratory's home for the next 14 years. In 1975, the Springfield Organic Laboratory obtained its first gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS), thereby greatly enhancing analytical capability for identification of organic compounds.

Environmental Programs Gain Momentum - Mid 1970s

In 1976, for the first time no annual average sulfur dioxide violation was measured by the Division of Air Pollution Control. By 1977, Illinois sulfur dioxide emissions had decreased by 60 percent, more than twice the national average decrease. Although carbon monoxide violations continued to be associated with high traffic volumes in major metropolitan areas, these types of emissions decreased statewide by 45 percent, also more than twice the national average decrease. During the same period, total ambient suspended particulates decreased 32 percent, compared to a 12 percent decrease for the nation. Even with these improvements in air quality, standards for some pollutants were unmet. Therefore, the Division of Air Pollution Control continued focusing on major industries like steel mills and power plants. Though most large facilities had installed necessary emission control equipment, some companies refused to do so and the IEPA increased enforcement actions to improve compliance.

The IEPA was delegated authority on October 23, 1977, to issue NPDES permits to Illinois communities and industries. Transfer of this authority to the State gave Illinois industries and municipalities the opportunity to work directly with the IEPA regarding their wastewater construction and discharge permits. Prior to the State being delegated NPDES authority, a discharger would have to obtain construction permits from the State and discharge permits from the USEPA.

In 1977, with grant assistance from the IEPA, the Environmental Resources Training Center (ERTC) was built in Edwardsville to provide wastewater and drinking water treatment plant operator training courses. As additional and more complex treatment facilities were built, a critical need for trained operators was developing. The ERTC significantly increased the competence of the operators, thus enhancing the Agency's pollution abatement efforts.

In 1976, the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) was adopted. This Act was designed to authorize and fund programs to protect human health and the environment, to reduce waste and conserve energy and natural resources, and to provide "cradle-to-grave" management of hazardous wastes nationwide.

Meanwhile, problems resulting from earlier pollution abatement actions attracted headlines. At Wilsonville, in central Illinois' Macoupin County, the Earthline Corporation had obtained IEPA permits to dispose of hazardous wastes and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in a landfill. Even though the landfill was designed and constructed in accordance with then-accepted hazardous waste disposal techniques, it began to leak. Through the efforts of Wilsonville residents, public and legislative attention became focused on the dangers of hazardous waste disposal, resulting in additional rules and regulations concerning landfill disposal of hazardous materials.

As new regulations were developed and as enforcement actions became more sophisticated, the need for expanded laboratory capacity for generating good laboratory data became paramount. Recognizing this growing need for environmental data, the first proposal for a new organic chemistry analytical laboratory was included in the IEPA FY '76 budget submission.

Continued Growth in the 1980s

In 1980, Congress passed legislation creating the $1.6 billion Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or "Superfund") to help fund cleanups of closed or abandoned sites where unregulated hazardous material dumping had occurred. The program's federal funding is derived primarily (86 percent) from taxes on petroleum and certain chemicals. The balance comes from State resources. The CERCLA program significantly expanded the duties of the Division of Land Pollution Control.

Although disposal of liquid wastes through deep wells into underground formations had been practiced in oil fields for decades and had been used in Illinois for many years, efforts were begun in 1980 to control this practice. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 mandated development of an underground injection control program (UIC). In 1980, IEPA drafted a plan to comply with the federal mandate and has since operated its own UIC program.

In the early 1980s, the Division of Laboratories began testing for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in groundwater from liquids leaking from landfills, industrial operations and spills of organic chemicals. By the time federal regulations required VOC testing (1988), Illinois had been conducting these analyses for about six years.

In 1981, legislation was adopted in Illinois that banned landfilling of liquid hazardous wastes beginning in July, 1985. This legislation also prohibited landfilling of any hazardous wastes after January, 1987.

Also in 1981, the IEPA increased public involvement through the Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program. This program was started to educate and recruit citizens who agreed to monitor local lakes and submit data to the IEPA.

In 1983, the USEPA announced that it intended to stop industrial expansion in areas not meeting the national air quality standards. Federal highway construction money would be withheld from states not meeting these standards. The IEPA recognized that a reduction in discharges from stationary sources would not be sufficient to meet the clean air standards. To meet these standards, a reduction of mobile source emissions also would be necessary. Thus, the IEPA began development of the Vehicle Emission Testing Program.

Realizing that additional funding was going to be required to cope with contaminated hazardous waste sites around the State, Illinois legislators in 1983 drafted a framework for an Illinois "Superfund" program patterned after CERCLA. During the 1984 legislative session, the $20 million "Clean Illinois" program was initiated, designating $2 million for evaluating potential hazardous waste sites, $1 million to start a groundwater monitoring program and $17 million for removals and remedies. In August 1984, the LaMear hazardous waste site in St. Clair County became the State's first "Clean Illinois" cleanup. Also in 1984, responding to a growing concern over toxic substances, the IEPA formed the Office of Chemical Safety, a direct result of the passage of the State's Toxic Substances Control Act.

In 1986, Subtitle I of RCRA was amended to provide a regulatory framework for underground storage tanks containing hazardous substances and petroleum. The act contained a mechanism for establishment of responsibility for cleaning-up material that might leak from these tanks. Before selling property having underground storage tanks, the property seller must show that the tanks either have not leaked or all contamination resulting from leaks has been remediated.

A State program implementing the mandates and objectives of the federal underground storage tank program was enacted by the Illinois General Assembly in 1987. One key element of the State legislation was creation of the Illinois Underground Storage Tank (UST) fund. This fund acts as an insurance pool to assist underground tank owners and operators in meeting the stringent financial responsibility requirements for operating underground tanks and, if necessary, cleaning-up material from leaking tanks. The fund receives its resources from fees charged to tank owners/operators who register their tanks with the Office of the State Fire Marshal. In return for the fee paid, tank owners' liability is limited in the event of any leakage.

By the mid 1980s, virtually all municipalities were in compliance with secondary wastewater treatment standards, and a substantial number of municipalities had installed advanced wastewater treatment systems to eliminate water quality problems. Most industries were meeting federal and state water quality requirements, and fewer than 10 municipal treatment plants in the State were without secondary treatment facilities. In 1984, the National Municipal Policy Act was adopted, requiring all wastewater treatment facilities not already in compliance with federal and state regulations, to be in compliance by July 1, 1988. Of approximately 750 municipalities in Illinois, 298 required additional controls beyond secondary treatment to achieve compliance.

In 1987, the federal Clean Water Act was re-authorized. This act began phasing out the federal grants program as its chief implementation mechanism. The "Build Illinois" grant assistance program of more than $200 million, set up only two years earlier, was expanded by an additional $450 million to replace the federal Clean Water Act funds. This State funding ensured that assistance would be available to 226 Illinois communities facing the July 1, 1988, deadline for meeting the Clean Water Act requirements.

Additionally, the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund (WPCRF) was created to provide a $70 million Illinois match to qualify for $350 million in federal funds to begin the revolving fund program. The fund provides low interest loans to communities that have wastewater projects. The program is intended to protect the State and federal investment in municipal water pollution control by providing financial assistance for the maintenance of wastewater facilities.

The 1986 SDWA amendments required USEPA to respond to contaminants being found in drinking water that were thought to have a negative health impact. Regulations requiring testing for 83 contaminants were to be implemented within three years. The regulations were to be developed in phases based on contaminant type. Provisions were made to gather additional data on "unregulated" contaminants in order to develop a data base for future regulations.

The first-phase drinking water regulations were directed toward reducing volatile organic chemicals being found in drinking water. Also included were expanded surface water treatment regulations. Not all states required the treatment of surface water. Illinois, however, had this requirement since the early sixties. The first phase regulations were followed by requirements to monitor for the new agricultural pesticides being marketed to enhance crop production. Some of these pesticides could find their way into drinking water sources.

While these first phase regulations presented new challenges for testing and removing organic chemicals in drinking water, regulations for lead and copper presented the daunting task of collecting samples from inside homes. If lead and copper sample results show the need to eliminate corrosion of lead and copper in home plumbing systems, water supplies are required to treat the water to control corrosion.

Included in the SDWA amendments of 1986 were requirements to expand the groundwater protection program. In response to this federal law, Illinois passed the Groundwater Protection Act (IGPA) in 1987 and initiated work in areas that previously had not been given the attention needed for the comprehensive protection of groundwater. Some of the first actions taken included the assignment of minimum setback zones for all wells and the identification of contamination sources around more than 3,300 well heads.

In the middle 1980s, the IEPA Division of Laboratories began a program to expand its analytical capacity. This effort enabled the purchase of sophisticated, automated analytical instruments. Inorganic analytical equipment purchased through this program included instruments such as inductively coupled plasma spectrometers capable of testing up to 23 metallic elements in less than one minute. The fleet of GC/MSs was increased to four operational units by 1988. Organic chemical analytical capacity increased 261 percent from 1983 (63,400 analyses) to 1988 (166,000 analyses). However, even with this dramatic increase, demand exceeded capacity by a ratio of almost two to one.

A second part of the laboratory expansion effort was the completion of a new, state-of-the-art organic laboratory facility in October 1988. The Springfield Organic Laboratory moved to its new quarters at the Springfield Combined Laboratory Facility at the SIU School of Medicine, tripling the space available for organic analyses. This new space provided for continued increases in laboratory analytical capacity and the potential for new kinds of analyses.

The Solid Waste Management Act passed in 1986 was designed to reduce reliance on land disposal of garbage and promote development of alternative technologies. The act included a number of other important features, including authorization for the IEPA to issue administrative citations to operators of non-hazardous waste sanitary landfills without having to resort to the more cumbersome enforcement processes previously required. The act authorized seizure of mobile equipment used for illegal disposal of industrial wastes into sewers, thereby creating a significant deterrent to "midnight dumping" by illegal haulers. The growing problem of land and groundwater contamination resulting from leaking petroleum products or hazardous substances from underground storage tanks was also addressed in this legislation.

The IEPA moved ahead with its search for disposal alternatives for hazardous waste. Increasing attention was given to the use of closely controlled incineration, particularly mobile incineration activities. By the end of the decade, mobile incineration had successfully handled major cleanups at several sites around the State. Identification of sites demanding remediation continued, with the IEPA ending 1989 with 43 sites on the State Remedial Action Priorities List (SRAPL), compared to 14 sites when the "Clean Illinois" program began. Illinois sites on the National Priorities List had risen from 11 in 1984 to 23 in 1989. In the same period, State funded immediate removal projects ballooned from six to 50, and the number of voluntary cleanups requiring Agency oversight rose from nine to 127.

Work on air quality improvements moved ahead. On July 3, 1985, the IEPA selected a contractor for the Vehicle Emission Test Program. When the first vehicle was tested on May 1, 1986, the program already was the largest centralized test program in the nation. The program grew and the number of test stations increased. The number of vehicles tested under this program increased from 774,000 in 1986 to 2,433,000 in 1993.

By the end of 1986, the only air pollutant still causing widespread air quality problems was ozone. During 1986 there were six days of unhealthful air due to ozone, a significant improvement from the 12 days above the standard in 1985 and 14 days above the standard in 1984. However, weather conditions conducive to the formation of ozone occurred in 1987 and 1988 and prevented Illinois from meeting the deadline for attainment of the national ozone standards.

Initially, air pollution control activities had focused chiefly on carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, ozone, sulfur dioxide and lead. With significant improvements made in these areas, attention turned toward toxic air pollutants. Information submitted to the Agency under the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act provided data that indicated 93 million pounds of toxic chemicals were released to Illinois' air in 1987.

Current Situation - the 1990s

In November, 1990, significant amendments to the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) were adopted. Concepts behind the law require the use of market-based principles and other innovative approaches. These approaches include performance-based standards and emissions banking and trading. Other approaches include the use of alternative fuels, clean low sulfur coal and natural gas. The development of innovative technologies such as scrubbers to clean high sulfur coal and energy conservation to reduce acid rain also are encouraged in the CAA.

The CAA amendments allowed the USEPA to define the geographical boundaries of areas where air quality does not meet the federal air quality standards designed to protect the public health. Areas that did not meet the standards were considered nonattainment areas. In Illinois, the entire State was declared in attainment for the pollutants lead, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. There were two areas of the State designated nonattainment for ozone - MetroEast St. Louis and Chicago. A small geographical area in the Peoria region was designated nonattainment for sulfur dioxide, and the Oglesby, McCook, Lake Calumet and Granite City areas were nonattainment for particulate matter. Specific provisions in the CAA amendments provide for stringent emission level requirements for sources (both stationary and mobile) in the nonattainment areas. The requirements vary, depending on the severity of nonattainment.

In addition, the CAA amendments offered a plan to achieve significant reductions in emissions of hazardous air pollutants and an acid rain program that would ensure a permanent reduction in the amount of sulfur dioxide emissions from the 1980 levels. An operating permit program modeled after the federal NPDES program also was introduced. Sources subject to the CAA permit program (CAAPP) must obtain operating permits that meet federal approval. The states are responsible for developing and implementing the program. The USEPA must issue permit program regulations, review each state's proposed program and oversee the state's efforts to implement any approved program.

Because mobile sources (cars, trucks, etc.) contribute approximately half of the ozone pollution in the Chicago nonattainment area, an innovative approach for a car scrappage project was developed. A pilot project called "Cash for Clunkers" was sponsored by industry and administered by the IEPA in late 1992. Two hundred seven cars from the Chicago area between the model years 1968 through 1979 that had failed or marginally passed the emissions inspections were purchased from the owners. The recyclable parts were then removed and the vehicles were crushed to be sold later as scrap metal. Removing these cars from use resulted in a total air emissions reduction of 43 tons of hydrocarbons and seven tons of nitrogen oxides, both precursors to ozone. The success of the pilot project verified that vehicle scrappage projects could be a strategy for private industries to use in their efforts to reduce ozone in the Chicago area.

Another innovative market-based pollution reduction concept, emissions trading, was introduced in 1993. Since then, IEPA has been working with industry, environmental groups and other interested parties to determine if programs allowing companies to buy or sell emission credits would be feasible and effective in reducing certain pollutants. To date, the IEPA has been concentrating on programs for reducing nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds.

As the 1990s progress, two major shifts in the water pollution control program are occurring. Program strategies are being developed for a targeted watershed approach, and traditional controls on non-point sources of pollution from stormwater are being expanded.

Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act requires states to identify poor quality rivers or lakes, establish a priority ranking for such bodies of water and target watersheds for development of pollutant loadings. Ranking of these waters on a statewide basis showed the major water quality problems were concentrated in only a few regions of Illinois. In order to effectively utilize and direct program resources, the State was subdivided into seven major watershed areas. These major watershed areas were determined by matching the major drainage basin boundaries with the seven regional office boundaries.

The Bureau of Water's primary goals and objectives of this watershed approach include: identifying watersheds with the most pressing water quality problems and taking necessary actions to solve those problems; directing resources to those watersheds with a high potential for improvement; protecting existing high quality watersheds; and integrating point and non-point source program activities. In this way watersheds can be targeted for specific actions. This targeting process will help to better allocate resources among a number of programs and activities including ambient monitoring, compliance monitoring, permitting and non-point source control activities. In some cases, a watershed will be targeted for intensive or specialized monitoring in one year to provide the necessary data for specific control programs to be developed in the following year.

Non-point source pollution is the diffuse, intermittent runoff of pollutants from various sources. This type of pollution was among the program activities receiving new emphasis under the 1987 amendments to the Clean Water Act. As part of this effort, the states were required to develop a Non-point Source Management Program. Those states with approved plans are eligible to receive federal funds to implement or supplement ongoing non-point source initiatives. Numerous demonstration projects in rural and urban settings and education and information efforts have been implemented throughout the State.

To address the stormwater runoff issue, the USEPA adopted runoff control mechanisms under the existing NPDES program. IEPA quickly followed the national guidance and now controls runoff from industrial facilities and construction site activities through NPDES discharge permits.

Fees-for-Services is a concept which gained acceptance in the early 1990s. The Bureau of Water began collecting new permit fees for water and sewer main extensions being constructed with private financing. An example of such a project would be water and sewerage systems for a new subdivision.

In an effort to help public water supplies carry out the massive new analytical requirements mandated by the SDWA amendments of 1986, the legislature approved a voluntary, fee-funded program for the IEPA to carry out the analytical work on drinking water for participating public water supplies. If a supply elects not to participate, it must have the mandated analyses done at its own expense by a private laboratory. The fees provide funding to cover the costs for laboratory equipment and personnel needed to perform the analytical work performed in IEPA laboratories.

This public water supply analytical program is the biggest single analytical program ever undertaken by the IEPA. To handle the new work in the Springfield Organic Laboratory, the staff was nearly doubled and about one million dollars was designated for new equipment. For some of the analyses, laboratory test procedures did not exist and had to be developed. About 45 percent of all work performed in IEPA laboratories supports the Agency's public water supply program.

In Illinois, between 11 and 12 million waste tires are generated each year. Since the majority of landfills are not accepting waste tires and the options for tire recycling are limited, open dumping and stockpiling have been commonplace. In 1988, emergency regulations were passed which governed the storage of waste tires. Additional legislation amending the Illinois Environmental Protection Act was passed by the Illinois General Assembly in July of 1991. This amendment provided a mechanism to fund the waste tire program starting on July 1,1992. This legislation provided a $1.00 surcharge per tire sold in Illinois. Proceeds from this fee are used by the IEPA and DNR for tire dump-site cleanups. Funds also are available for grants and loans for producers and end users of tire-derived materials and products to assist in development of new uses for tires no longer suitable for use on transportation vehicles.

A significant change regarding municipal solid waste management occurred in the early 1990s. Due to increasing volumes of solid waste, municipal landfills became an issue of national concern. In recognition of this issue, Congress amended Subtitle D of RCRA and directed the USEPA to revise the open-dump criteria for landfill facilities that may receive household hazardous waste or small quantities of industrial hazardous waste. The new criteria became effective in October, 1991, and set new minimum standards for municipal solid waste landfills. The new standards address siting/location restrictions, design and operating requirements, groundwater monitoring, corrective action, closure and post-closure care provisions, and financial assurance considerations.

The IEPA hazardous waste cleanup program underwent several changes in the early 1990s. A new federally funded unit has been added which is dedicated to working with the military and local governments on the 42 former Department of Defense sites in Illinois. These sites present an unusual combination of problems and opportunities. They often contain large tracts of undeveloped land which is littered with unexploded ordinance and has become a haven for wildlife.

The National Priorities List continues to grow slowly as sites are scored according to the risk they present. It is expected that approximately 75 sites will be included on the NPL list by the year 2000.

The list of problem sites which are not eligible for federal Superfund dollars also continues to grow. No additional revenue has been provided for State funded cleanups since 1989 and currently 148 problem sites are included on the backlog list awaiting State funded cleanup.

The Pre-notice (voluntary) program continues to grow. This program provides Agency review and evaluation services at hazardous waste sites where property owners seek assistance and are not subject to environmental enforcement actions. There were 440 active sites enrolled in the program in January, 1995.

Another national concern, disposal of medical wastes, was addressed when the Illinois Legislature passed legislation in 1991 that amended the Environmental Protection Act. This amendment was to ensure that Potentially Infectious Medical Waste (PIMW) would be handled in a safe and responsible manner. These PIMW materials are a "special waste" generated in connection with: (1) the diagnosis, treatment, immunization of human beings or animals; (2) research pertaining to the provision of medical services; or (3) the production or testing of biological items.

Types of PIMW include pathogenic bacteria and viruses, most human pathological wastes, human blood and blood products, used and unused sharps (needles, scalpels, etc.), and animal waste. Medical waste generated as household waste or treated medical waste are not included in the PIMW category.

Pollution Prevention is a continuing theme that underlies many IEPA activities. The Agency has broadened its focus from regulation of pollution sources to include encouragement and assistance in the development of manufacturing processes which eliminate or generate less waste material. To help industries dispose of waste materials in a cost effective manner, the Industrial Materials Exchange Service assists generators of those materials to find markets for the materials rather than treating and/or discharging them into the environment. This exchange service is operated in cooperation with the State Chamber of Commerce.

An important part of the pollution prevention effort is the annual pollution prevention conference where ideas for reducing the discharge of pollutants can be shared. These shared ideas have led to a "Partners in Prevention" program where industries work toward elimination of targeted pollution problems. The IEPA and the Hazardous Waste Research Center are developing a training course to help industries gain expertise in planning for pollution prevention. In 1993, a Small Business Initiative Task Force was formed within the IEPA. The main purpose of the Task Force was to initiate dialogue with small business owners and operators throughout the State. During face-to-face meetings with representatives from various businesses, it was discovered there are many areas where the Agency could work better with this regulated community.

As a result of the meetings, workgroups were formed and developed recommendations for assisting small businesses in the following areas: education, compliance, permitting, technology, and financial assistance. This cooperative effort will enable small businesses to better comply with the regulations and help the IEPA achieve its goal of a better environment for the State.