The Illinois Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) has approved the final amendments to the rules governing Anhydrous Ammonia, Low Pressure Nitrogen Solutions, Equipment, Containers and Storage Facilities.  IFCA worked with the IL Dept of Ag over the past several years to revise portions of the rules to ensure our state remains current with national standards that ensure that new technologies are incorporated to enhance ammonia safety as well as efficiency.  The effective date of the rules is July 1, 2016; we are awaiting final publication of the rules by the IL Secretary of State and as soon as we have them we will let you know and post the final rule to the IFCA website.  In the meantime, we have highlighted the major changes in this document, and in early July all IFCA members will receive a comprehensive compliance guide in the mail that goes into greater detail on the changes in the rules, provides pictures and diagrams for the ammonia system changes and the various compliance dates for making these changes.  Please call our office at (309) 827-2774 and ask for John Rebholz if you have any questions about the new rules.  Many of the provisions of the rules will also help facilities in their efforts to comply with the new OSHA Process Safety Management Requirements; this OSHA rule goes into effect on October 1, 2016.  Go to www.asmark.org to view the PSM and RMP compliance tools.