(30 ILCS 105/6z-32)

Sec. 6z-32. Partners for Planning and Conservation.

(a) The Partners for Conservation Fund (formerly known as the Conservation 2000 Fund) and the Partners for Conservation Projects Fund (formerly known as the Conservation 2000 Projects Fund) are created as special funds in the State Treasury. These funds shall be used to establish a comprehensive program to protect Illinois' natural resources through cooperative partnerships between State government and public and private landowners. Moneys in these Funds may be used, subject to appropriation, by the Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Agriculture for purposes relating to natural resource protection, planning, recreation, tourism, climate resilience, and compatible agricultural and economic development activities. Without limiting these general purposes, moneys in these Funds may be used, subject to appropriation, for the following specific purposes:

(1) To foster sustainable agriculture practices and control soil erosion, sedimentation, and nutrient loss from farmland, including grants to Soil and Water Conservation Districts for conservation practice cost-share grants and for personnel, educational, and administrative expenses.

(2) To establish and protect a system of ecosystems in public and private ownership through conservation easements, incentives to public and private landowners, natural resource restoration and preservation, water quality protection and improvement, land use and watershed planning, technical assistance and grants, and land acquisition provided these mechanisms are all voluntary on the part of the landowner and do not involve the use of eminent domain.

(3) To develop a systematic and long-term program to effectively measure and monitor natural resources and ecological conditions through investments in technology and involvement of scientific experts.

(4) To initiate strategies to enhance, use, and maintain Illinois' inland lakes through education, technical assistance, research, and financial incentives.

(5) To partner with private landowners and with units of State, federal, and local government and with not-for-profit organizations in order to integrate State and federal programs with Illinois' natural resource protection and restoration efforts and to meet requirements to obtain federal and other funds for conservation or protection of natural resources.

(6) To support the State's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, including, but not limited to, funding the resources needed to support the Strategy's Policy Working Group, cover water quality monitoring in support of Strategy implementation, prepare a biennial report on the progress made on the Strategy every 2 years, and provide cost share funding for nutrient capture projects.

(7) To provide capacity grants to support soil and water conservation districts, including, but not limited to, developing soil health plans, conducting soil health assessments, peer-to-peer training, convening producer-led dialogues, professional memberships, lab analysis, and travel stipends for meetings and educational events.

(8) To develop guidelines and local soil health assessments for advancing soil health.

(b) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall automatically transfer on the last day of each month, beginning on September 30, 1995 and ending on June 30, 2025, from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for Conservation Fund, an amount equal to 1/10 of the amount set forth below in fiscal year 1996 and an amount equal to 1/12 of the amount set forth below in each of the other specified fiscal years:

(c) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall automatically transfer on the last day of each month beginning on July 31, 2021 and ending June 30, 2022, from the Environmental Protection Permit and Inspection Fund to the Partners for Conservation Fund, an amount equal to 1/12 of $4,135,000.

(c-1) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall automatically transfer on the last day of each month beginning on July 31, 2022 and ending June 30, 2023, from the Environmental Protection Permit and Inspection Fund to the Partners for Conservation Fund, an amount equal to 1/12 of $5,900,000.

(d) There shall be deposited into the Partners for Conservation Projects Fund such bond proceeds and other moneys as may, from time to time, be provided by law.

(Source: P.A. 102-16, eff. 6-17-21; 102-699, eff. 4-19-22; 103-8, eff. 6-7-23; 103-494, eff. 8-4-23; 103-588, eff. 6-5-24; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24.)