SJ0036 LRB096 07420 JDS 17507 r

1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Article XI, Section 1 of the Illinois Constitution
3 states, "The public policy of the State and the duty of each
4 person is to provide and maintain a healthful environment for
5 the benefit of this and future generations"; and
 
6     WHEREAS, A capital construction program is urgently needed
7 and would fix aging infrastructure in Illinois, create jobs for
8 working men and women, and stimulate the economy; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Previous capital construction proposals have
10 called for as much as $34 billion in spending; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The potentially massive public expenditure
12 involved in a capital plan represents a once-in-a-generation
13 opportunity to modernize and improve the basic infrastructure
14 of our State; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The 21st century has already witnessed the
16 development of technologies that promise to improve
17 significantly the energy efficiency of buildings; to limit the
18 environmental impact of new roads, bridges, and structures; to
19 bring information technology resources to underserved areas;
20 and to conserve and manage water resources; and
 

 

 

SJ0036 - 2 - LRB096 07420 JDS 17507 r

1     WHEREAS, Previous capital proposals have allocated vast
2 financial resources to projects unguided by the principles of
3 environmental protection, energy efficiency, and
4 sustainability; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Numerous scientific studies have concluded that
6 the health of our people can be directly affected by the
7 products used in our buildings and that utilizing alternative
8 green products can greatly reduce the risk of health problems
9 caused by, among other things, volatile organic compounds; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Green and sustainable principles and practices
11 promote environmental health and offer significant energy
12 savings; therefore, be it
 
13     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
14 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
15 CONCURRING HEREIN, that the General Assembly, together with the
16 Governor, ought to make passage of a green and sustainable
17 comprehensive capital construction plan a top priority; and be
18 it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That the principles of environmental health,
20 environmental protection, energy efficiency, and
21 sustainability ought to guide the allocation of all funds in
22 any capital construction plan; and be it further
 

 

 

SJ0036 - 3 - LRB096 07420 JDS 17507 r

1     RESOLVED, That in providing funding for the construction of
2 new buildings or the renovation of existing buildings, the law
3 should require builders to adhere to sustainable building
4 standards including the U.S. Green Building Council's
5 Leadership in Environment and Energy Design (LEED) standards or
6 substantially equivalent standards; and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That in determining the allocation of
8 transportation funding, the State should give due
9 consideration to new public transportation, including rail, in
10 the interest of planning sustainable transportation
11 infrastructure for a more densely-populated society; and be it
12 further
 
13     RESOLVED, That in providing for the construction and
14 improvement of roads, the State should prioritize the laying of
15 fiber-optic lines, particularly to rural areas and other
16 regions of the State historically lacking in technological
17 infrastructure; and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That the State should consider and prioritize
19 each project in light of its potential to create jobs, its
20 environmental impact, and its long-term energy savings.