102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB2474

 

Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
30 ILCS 105/6z-32

    Creates the Illinois Partners for Nutrient Loss Reduction Act. Provides legislative findings. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that moneys in the Partners for Conservation Fund and the Partners for Conservation Projects Fund may be used to implement the State's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, including funding for specified needs. Provides that the State Comptroller shall automatically transfer moneys to the Partners for Conservation Fund through June 30, 2027 (currently, 2021). Specifies the amount of moneys transferred to the Fund from 2022 through 2027 (currently, only for 2021). Specifies amounts and uses for moneys to be used by the Fund through specified years. Provides specified amounts to be transferred from the General Revenue Fund into the Partners for Conservation Fund for each year of 2022 through 2027. Provides that for years 2022 through 2027 funding from the Partners for Conservation Fund shall be provided to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Natural Resources annually in specified amounts and for specified uses. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2474LRB102 17360 CPF 22853 b

1    AN ACT concerning nutrient loss reduction.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. References to Act. This Act may be referred to
5as the Illinois Partners for Nutrient Loss Reduction Act.
 
6    Section 3. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:
7    (1) Excessive levels of nutrients are degrading the
8quality of streams, rivers, and lakes within the State of
9Illinois and contributing to the dead zone in the Gulf of
10Mexico.
11    (2) The State's Environmental Protection Agency and
12Department of Agriculture collaborated with the Policy Working
13Group, working with academics, environmental nonprofits,
14representatives of federal, State, and local agencies,
15wastewater treatment professionals, and the agricultural
16community to develop the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction
17Strategy in 2015. They continue to collaborate to implement
18the Strategy.
19    (3) The Strategy sets a milestone to reduce nitrogen loads
20in Illinois waters that leave the State by 15% and phosphorus
21loads by 25% by 2025 from baseline levels of 1980-1996. One
22goal is to reduce both nitrogen and phosphorus loads by 45%.
23    (4) The Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of

 

 

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1Natural Resources, and the Department of Agriculture require
2resources to administer and implement the Strategy in order to
3meet the Strategy's 2025 milestone and goal.
4    (5) Nutrient capture practices cost share grants will
5assist Illinois' agricultural economy in meeting the goals of
6the Strategy.
7    (6) Soil and Water Conservation Districts assist Illinois
8farmers in implementing nutrient capture practices on their
9farmland.
 
10    Section 5. The State Finance Act is amended by changing
11Section 6z-32 as follows:
 
12    (30 ILCS 105/6z-32)
13    Sec. 6z-32. Partners for Planning and Conservation.
14    (a) The Partners for Conservation Fund (formerly known as
15the Conservation 2000 Fund) and the Partners for Conservation
16Projects Fund (formerly known as the Conservation 2000
17Projects Fund) are created as special funds in the State
18Treasury. These funds shall be used to establish a
19comprehensive program to protect Illinois' natural resources
20through cooperative partnerships between State government and
21public and private landowners. Moneys in these Funds may be
22used, subject to appropriation, by the Department of Natural
23Resources, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department
24of Agriculture for purposes relating to natural resource

 

 

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1protection, planning, recreation, tourism, and compatible
2agricultural and economic development activities. Without
3limiting these general purposes, moneys in these Funds may be
4used, subject to appropriation, for the following specific
5purposes:
6        (1) To foster sustainable agriculture practices and
7    control soil erosion, and sedimentation, and nutrient loss
8    from farmland, including grants to Soil and Water
9    Conservation Districts for conservation practice
10    cost-share grants and for personnel, educational, and
11    administrative expenses.
12        (2) To establish and protect a system of ecosystems in
13    public and private ownership through conservation
14    easements, incentives to public and private landowners,
15    natural resource restoration and preservation, water
16    quality protection and improvement, land use and watershed
17    planning, technical assistance and grants, and land
18    acquisition provided these mechanisms are all voluntary on
19    the part of the landowner and do not involve the use of
20    eminent domain.
21        (3) To develop a systematic and long-term program to
22    effectively measure and monitor natural resources and
23    ecological conditions through investments in technology
24    and involvement of scientific experts.
25        (4) To initiate strategies to enhance, use, and
26    maintain Illinois' inland lakes through education,

 

 

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1    technical assistance, research, and financial incentives.
2        (5) To partner with private landowners and with units
3    of State, federal, and local government and with
4    not-for-profit organizations in order to integrate State
5    and federal programs with Illinois' natural resource
6    protection and restoration efforts and to meet
7    requirements to obtain federal and other funds for
8    conservation or protection of natural resources.
9        (6) To implement the State's Nutrient Loss Reduction
10    Strategy, including, but not limited to, funding the
11    resources needed to support the Strategy's Policy Working
12    Group, cover water quality monitoring in support of
13    Strategy implementation, prepare a biennial report on the
14    progress made on the Strategy every 2 years, and provide
15    cost share funding for nutrient capture projects.
16    (b) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall
17automatically transfer on the last day of each month,
18beginning on September 30, 1995 and ending on June 30, 2027
192021, from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for
20Conservation Fund, an amount equal to 1/10 of the amount set
21forth below in fiscal year 1996 and an amount equal to 1/12 of
22the amount set forth below in each of the other specified
23fiscal years:
24Fiscal Year Amount
251996$ 3,500,000
261997$ 9,000,000

 

 

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11998$10,000,000
21999$11,000,000
32000$12,500,000
42001 through 2004$14,000,000
52005 $7,000,000
62006 $11,000,000
72007 $0
82008 through 2011 $14,000,000
92012 $12,200,000
102013 through 2017 $14,000,000
112018 $1,500,000
122019 $14,000,000
132020 $7,500,000
142021 $14,000,000
152022 $18,135,000
162023 $19,900,000
172024 $23,025,000
182025 $25,665,000
192026 $25,680,000
202027 $25,695,000
21    (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
22contrary and in addition to any other transfers that may be
23provided for by law, on the last day of each month beginning on
24July 31, 2006 and ending on June 30, 2007, or as soon
25thereafter as may be practical, the State Comptroller shall
26direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer $1,000,000 from

 

 

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1the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Fund to the
2Partners for Conservation Fund (formerly known as the
3Conservation 2000 Fund).
4    (d) There shall be deposited into the Partners for
5Conservation Projects Fund such bond proceeds and other moneys
6as may, from time to time, be provided by law.
7    (e) For years 2022 through 2027, $1,075,000 from the
8Partners for Conservation Fund shall be provided annually to
9the Agency and used as follows:
10        (1) $530,000 for coordination of Strategy
11    implementation, including, but not limited to, meeting
12    coordination, reporting, and watershed coordination; and
13        (2) $545,000 to cover water quality monitoring in
14    support of Strategy implementation.
15    (f) For years 2022 through 2027, funding from the Partners
16for Conservation Fund shall be provided annually to the
17Department of Agriculture:
18        (1) to be used for Soil and Water Conservation
19    Districts for personnel, educational, and administrative
20    expenses;
21        (2) to fund the Cover Crops Insurance Premium Discount
22    Program; and
23        (3) for conservation practices cost share grants and
24    technical assistance.
25    Funding provided to the Department of Agriculture under
26this subsection shall be in the amount set forth below in each

 

 

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1of the specified fiscal years:
2Fiscal Year Amount
32022 $10,060,000
42023 $11,825,000
52024 $14,950,000
62025 $17,590,000
72026 $17,605,000
82027 $17,620,000
9    (g) For years 2022 through 2027, $7,000,000 funding from
10the Partners for Conservation Fund shall be provided annually
11to the Department of Natural Resources and used as follows:
12        (1) $6,000,000 for personnel, educational,
13    administrative, and conservation practices expenses; and
14        (2) $1,000,000 for conservation practices on publicly
15    owned property of the Department of Natural Resources, and
16    its surrounding area, that is leased to agricultural
17    producers.
18    In this Section, "strategy" means the Illinois
19Environmental Protection Agency's 2015 Illinois Nutrient Loss
20Reduction Strategy and its biennial reports of 2017 and 2019.
21(Source: P.A. 100-23, eff. 7-6-17; 101-10, eff. 6-5-19.)
 
22    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23becoming law.