620 ILCS 5/47
An application for a certificate of approval of an airport or restricted landing area, or the alteration or extension thereof, shall set forth, among other things, the location of all railways, mains, pipes, conduits, wires, cables, poles and other facilities and structures of public service corporations or municipal or quasi-municipal corporations, located within the area proposed to be acquired or restricted, and the names of persons owning the same, to the extent that such information can be reasonably ascertained by the applicant.
It shall be unlawful for any municipality or other political subdivision, or officer or employee thereof, or for any person, to make any alteration or extension of an existing airport or restricted landing area, or to use or operate any airport or restricted landing area, for which a certificate of approval has not been issued by the Department; provided, that no certificate of approval shall be required for an airport or restricted landing area which was in existence and approved by the Illinois Aeronautics Commission, whether or not being operated, on or before July 1, 1945, or for the O'Hare Modernization Program as defined in Section 10 of the O'Hare Modernization Act; except that a certificate of approval shall be required under this Section for construction of a new runway at O'Hare International Airport with a geographical orientation that varies from a geographical east-west orientation by more than 10 degrees, or for construction of a new runway at that airport that would result in more than 10 runways being available for aircraft operations at that airport. The Department shall supervise, monitor, and enforce compliance with the O'Hare Modernization Act by all other departments, agencies, and units of State and local government.
Provisions of this Section do not apply to special purpose aircraft designated as such by the Department when operating to or from uncertificated areas other than their principal base of operations, provided mutually acceptable arrangements are made with the property owner, and provided the owner or operator of the aircraft assumes liabilities which may arise out of such operations.
620 ILCS 5/47