(30 ILCS 105/6z-32)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-8)

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 implement 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 development and travel stipends for meetings and educational events.

(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, 2024,
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:

`Fiscal Year`	`Amount`
`1996`	`$ 3,500,000`
`1997`	`$ 9,000,000`
`1998`	`$10,000,000`
`1999`	`$11,000,000`
`2000`	`$12,500,000`
`2001 through 2004`	`$14,000,000`
`2005`	`$7,000,000`
`2006`	`$11,000,000`
`2007`	`$0`
`2008 through 2011`	`$14,000,000`
`2012`	`$12,200,000`
`2013 through 2017`	`$14,000,000`
`2018`	`$1,500,000`
`2019`	`$14,000,000`
`2020`	`$7,500,000`
`2021 through 2023`	`$14,000,000`
`2024`	`$18,000,000`

(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.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-494)