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HJ0089 |
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LRB094 15849 HSS 54147 r |
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| HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois River played a vital and historic |
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| role in our nation's growth by connecting the Great Lakes with |
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| the Mississippi River; and
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| WHEREAS, The waterways of Illinois have been instrumental |
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| in shaping the culture, commerce, and communities of our State; |
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| and
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| WHEREAS, More than 90 percent of all Illinois residents |
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| live within the sprawling Illinois River watershed and its |
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| tributaries - the Calumet, Chicago, Des Plaines, DuPage, Fox, |
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| Kankakee,
La Moine, Mackinaw, Sangamon, Spoon, and Vermilion |
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| Rivers - which also provide habitat for countless species of |
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| fish, reptiles, waterfowl, and fauna; and
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| WHEREAS, Nearly one million Illinois residents rely on the |
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| Illinois River and its tributaries for drinking water; and
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| WHEREAS, Generations of Illinois farmers have relied on the |
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| Illinois River to get their harvests to market, and thousands |
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| of Illinois businesses use the Illinois River as an economic |
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| corridor to ship more than 60 million tons of commodities |
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| annually, including coal, iron, petroleum products, chemicals, |
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| steel, sand, gravel, and agricultural products; and
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois River's recreational opportunities |
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| have blossomed in recent years, as fishermen, boaters, |
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| bird-watchers, bikers, hikers, and tourists from across the |
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| nation have begun to enjoy anew the Illinois River's vast |
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| beauty; and
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| WHEREAS, Since 1999, the Office of the Illinois Lieutenant |
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| Governor has co-sponsored the "Annual Illinois River Sweep", in |
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| which thousands of volunteers at dozens of sites roll up their |