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| 1 | AN ACT concerning State government.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||||
| 5 | Mississippi River Coordinating Council Act. | ||||||
| 6 | Section 5. Legislative Purpose. The Mississippi River is | ||||||
| 7 | the primary water artery for the economic development of the | ||||||
| 8 | United States. The restoration and conservation of the | ||||||
| 9 | Mississippi River and its tributaries is in the economic and | ||||||
| 10 | ecological interest of the citizens of this State. It is | ||||||
| 11 | further in the public interest to establish, implement and | ||||||
| 12 | monitor water management projects run by local, state, federal | ||||||
| 13 | and not-for-profit entities. | ||||||
| 14 | Section 10. Mississippi River Coordinating Council. | ||||||
| 15 | (a) There is established the Mississippi River | ||||||
| 16 | Coordinating Council (Council), consisting of 13 voting | ||||||
| 17 | members to be appointed by the Governor. One member shall be | ||||||
| 18 | the Lieutenant Governor who shall serve as a voting member and | ||||||
| 19 | as chairperson of the Council. The agency members of the | ||||||
| 20 | Council shall include the Directors, or their designees, of the | ||||||
| 21 | following: the Department of Agriculture, the Department of | ||||||
| 22 | Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois Environmental | ||||||
| 23 | Protection Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, and the | ||||||
| 24 | Department of Transportation. In addition, the Council shall | ||||||
| 25 | include one member representing Soil and Water Conservation | ||||||
| 26 | Districts located in the proximity of the Mississippi River and | ||||||
| 27 | its tributaries, and 6 members representing local communities, | ||||||
| 28 | not-for-profit organizations working to protect the | ||||||
| 29 | Mississippi River and its tributaries, businesses, | ||||||
| 30 | agriculture, recreation, conservation, and the environment. | ||||||
| 31 | (b) The Governor may appoint, as ex-officio members, | ||||||
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| 1 | individuals representing the interests of the states who border | ||||||
| 2 | the Mississippi River and individuals representing federal | ||||||
| 3 | agencies. | ||||||
| 4 | (c) Members of the Council shall serve 2-year terms, except | ||||||
| 5 | that of the initial appointments, 5 members shall be appointed | ||||||
| 6 | to serve 3-year terms and 4 members to serve one-year terms. | ||||||
| 7 | (d) The Council shall meet at least quarterly. | ||||||
| 8 | (e) The Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall be | ||||||
| 9 | responsible for the operations of the Council. The Office may | ||||||
| 10 | reimburse members of the Council for travel expenses. | ||||||
| 11 | (f) This Section is subject to the provisions of Section | ||||||
| 12 | 405-500 of the Department of Central Management Services Law. | ||||||
| 13 | Section 15. Duties of the Council. The Council shall: | ||||||
| 14 | (1) periodically review activities and programs | ||||||
| 15 | administered by State and federal agencies that directly | ||||||
| 16 | impact the Mississippi River and its tributaries; | ||||||
| 17 | (2) work with local communities and organizations to | ||||||
| 18 | encourage partnerships that enhance awareness and | ||||||
| 19 | capabilities to address watershed and water resource | ||||||
| 20 | concerns and to encourage strategies that protect, | ||||||
| 21 | restore, and expand critical habitats and soil | ||||||
| 22 | conservation and water quality practices; | ||||||
| 23 | (3) work with State and federal agencies to optimize | ||||||
| 24 | the expenditure of funds affecting the Mississippi River | ||||||
| 25 | and its tributaries; | ||||||
| 26 | (4) advise and make recommendations to the Governor and | ||||||
| 27 | State agencies on ways to better coordinate the expenditure | ||||||
| 28 | of appropriated funds affecting the Mississippi River and | ||||||
| 29 | its tributaries; | ||||||
| 30 | (5) encourage local communities to develop water | ||||||
| 31 | management plans to address stormwater, erosion, flooding, | ||||||
| 32 | sedimentation, and pollution problems and encourage | ||||||
| 33 | projects for the natural conveyance and storage of | ||||||
| 34 | floodwaters, the enhancement of wildlife habitat and | ||||||
| 35 | outdoor recreation opportunities, the recovery, | ||||||
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| 1 | management, and conservation of the Mississippi River and | ||||||
| 2 | its tributaries, the preservation of farmland, prairies, | ||||||
| 3 | and forests, and the use of measurable economic development | ||||||
| 4 | efforts that are compatible with the ecological health of | ||||||
| 5 | the State; and | ||||||
| 6 | (6) help identify possible sources of additional | ||||||
| 7 | funding for Mississippi River water management projects.
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| 8 | Section 20. Agency duties. State agencies represented on | ||||||
| 9 | the Council shall provide to the Council, on request, | ||||||
| 10 | information concerning agency programs, data, and activities | ||||||
| 11 | that impact the restoration and preservation of the Mississippi | ||||||
| 12 | River and its tributaries.
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