103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2357

 

Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Rachel Ventura

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
20 ILCS 801/1-15
30 ILCS 105/5.990 new

    Creates the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant plan for the preservation and enhancement of forests, prairies, and wetlands in Illinois. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources, pursuant to the comprehensive plan and subject to appropriation, shall establish and administer a Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program to restore degraded forest lands and native prairies, and to promote the growth of native vegetation that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help to mitigate the impact of climate change. Provides that units of local government are eligible to submit a grant proposal in a format and at a time prescribed by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that grants may be used by units of local government to fund: (1) local projects restoring or expanding forests, wetlands, prairies, or other natural landscapes demonstrated to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; (2) education and marketing regarding local projects or steps community members may take to promote the growth of native vegetation that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; and (3) any other purpose approved by the Department of Natural Resources that advances the State goal that there be no overall net loss of the State's existing forest, prairie, or wetland acres or their functional value due to State-supported activities. Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act and the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.


LRB103 29077 RLC 55463 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2357LRB103 29077 RLC 55463 b

1    AN ACT concerning conservation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act.
 
6    Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds it is in
7the interest of the State to encourage natural solutions as
8one component of the State's efforts to reduce and remediate
9the impacts of climate change. Natural solutions must include
10planting native trees and other vegetation demonstrated to
11reduce carbon dioxide. To accomplish this, the State must
12offer assistance to other units of local government that are
13taking steps to fight climate change by restoring forests,
14wetlands, prairies, and other landscapes native to Illinois
15and demonstrated to have a positive environmental impact.
 
16    Section 10. State goal. It is the goal of the State that
17there be no overall net loss of the State's existing forest,
18prairie, or wetland acres or their functional value due to
19State-supported activities. Further, the State and units of
20local government shall preserve, enhance, and create forests,
21prairies, and wetlands where practical in order to mitigate
22the impact of climate change and reduce carbon dioxide from

 

 

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1the atmosphere.
 
2    Section 15. Comprehensive plan. The Department of Natural
3Resources shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive Healthy
4Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant plan for the
5preservation and enhancement of forests, prairies, and
6wetlands in Illinois.
 
7    Section 20. Receipt of federal moneys. The Department of
8Natural Resources may receive federal moneys to administer a
9Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program.
 
10    Section 25. Establishment of the Healthy Forests,
11Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program.
12    (a) The Department of Natural Resources, pursuant to the
13comprehensive plan developed according to Section 15 and
14subject to appropriation, shall establish and administer a
15Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program to
16restore degraded forest lands and native prairies, and to
17promote the growth of native vegetation that remove carbon
18dioxide from the atmosphere and help to mitigate the impact of
19climate change.
20    (b) Units of local government are eligible to submit a
21grant proposal in a format and at a time prescribed by the
22Department of Natural Resources.
23    (c) Grants may be used by units of local government to

 

 

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1fund:
2        (1) local projects restoring or expanding forests,
3    wetlands, prairies, or other natural landscapes
4    demonstrated to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere;
5        (2) education and marketing regarding local projects
6    or steps community members may take to promote the growth
7    of native vegetation that removes carbon dioxide from the
8    atmosphere; and
9        (3) any other purpose approved by the Department of
10    Natural Resources that advances the State goal described
11    in Section 10 of this Act.
 
12    Section 30. Healthy, Forests, Wetlands, and Prairie Grant
13Fund. The Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairie Grant Fund is
14created in the State treasury. The fund shall be administered
15by the Department of Natural Resources. The fund may receive
16moneys appropriated by the General Assembly, the federal
17government, private donations, or from any other legal source.
 
18    Section 35. Rules. The Department of Natural Resources
19shall adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of this
20Act.
 
21    Section 90. The Department of Natural Resources Act is
22amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows:
 

 

 

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1    (20 ILCS 801/1-15)
2    Sec. 1-15. General powers and duties.
3    (a) It shall be the duty of the Department to investigate
4practical problems, implement studies, conduct research and
5provide assistance, information and data relating to the
6technology and administration of the natural history,
7entomology, zoology, and botany of this State; the geology and
8natural resources of this State; the water and atmospheric
9resources of this State; and the archeological and cultural
10history of this State.
11    (b) The Department (i) shall obtain, store, and process
12relevant data; recommend technological, administrative, and
13legislative changes and developments; cooperate with other
14federal, state, and local governmental research agencies,
15facilities, or institutes in the selection of projects for
16study; cooperate with the Board of Higher Education and with
17the public and private colleges and universities in this State
18in developing relevant interdisciplinary approaches to
19problems; and evaluate curricula at all levels of education
20and provide assistance to instructors and (ii) may sponsor an
21annual conference of leaders in government, industry, health,
22and education to evaluate the state of this State's
23environment and natural resources.
24    (c) The Director, in accordance with the Personnel Code,
25shall employ such personnel, provide such facilities, and
26contract for such outside services as may be necessary to

 

 

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1carry out the purposes of the Department. Maximum use shall be
2made of existing federal and state agencies, facilities, and
3personnel in conducting research under this Act.
4    (c-5) The Department may use the services of, and enter
5into necessary agreements with, outside entities for the
6purpose of evaluating grant applications and for the purpose
7of administering or monitoring compliance with grant
8agreements. Contracts under this subsection shall not exceed 2
9years in length.
10    (d) In addition to its other powers, the Department has
11the following powers:
12        (1) To obtain, store, process, and provide data and
13    information related to the powers and duties of the
14    Department under this Act. This subdivision (d)(1) does
15    not give authority to the Department to require reports
16    from nongovernmental sources or entities.
17        (2) To cooperate with and support the Illinois Science
18    and Technology Advisory Committee and the Illinois
19    Coalition for the purpose of facilitating the effective
20    operations and activities of such entities. Support may
21    include, but need not be limited to, providing space for
22    the operations of the Committee and the Illinois
23    Coalition.
24    (e) The Department is authorized to make grants to local
25not-for-profit organizations for the purposes of development,
26maintenance and study of wetland areas, forests, prairies, and

 

 

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1other landscapes demonstrated to reduce the impact of climate
2change.
3    (f) The Department has the authority to accept, receive
4and administer on behalf of the State any gifts, bequests,
5donations, income from property rental and endowments. Any
6such funds received by the Department shall be deposited into
7the Natural Resources Fund, a special fund which is hereby
8created in the State treasury, and used for the purposes of
9this Act or, when appropriate, for such purposes and under
10such restrictions, terms and conditions as are predetermined
11by the donor or grantor of such funds or property. Any accrued
12interest from money deposited into the Natural Resources Fund
13shall be reinvested into the Fund and used in the same manner
14as the principal. The Director shall maintain records which
15account for and assure that restricted funds or property are
16disbursed or used pursuant to the restrictions, terms or
17conditions of the donor.
18    (g) The Department shall recognize, preserve, and promote
19our special heritage of recreational hunting and trapping by
20providing opportunities to hunt and trap in accordance with
21the Wildlife Code.
22    (h) Within 5 years after the effective date of this
23amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the Department
24shall fly a United States Flag, an Illinois flag, and a POW/MIA
25flag at all State parks. Donations may be made by groups and
26individuals to the Department's Special Projects Fund for

 

 

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1costs related to the implementation of this subsection.
2(Source: P.A. 102-388, eff. 1-1-22; 102-699, eff. 4-19-22.)
 
3    Section 95. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
4Section 5.990 as follows:
 
5    (30 ILCS 105/5.990 new)
6    Sec. 5.990. The Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairie
7Grant Fund.