Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Compiled Statutes

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20 ILCS 801/1-15

(20 ILCS 801/1-15)

Sec. 1-15. General powers and duties.

(a) It shall be the duty of the Department to investigate practical
problems, implement studies, conduct research and provide assistance,
information and data relating to the technology and administration of
the natural history, entomology, zoology, and botany of this State; the geology
and natural resources of this State; the water and atmospheric resources of
this State; and the archeological and cultural history of this State.

(b) The Department (i) shall obtain, store, and process relevant
data; recommend technological, administrative, and legislative changes and
developments; cooperate with other federal, state, and local governmental
research agencies, facilities, or institutes in the selection of projects
for study; cooperate with the Board of Higher Education and with the public
and private colleges and universities in this State in developing relevant
interdisciplinary approaches to problems; and evaluate curricula at all
levels
of education and provide assistance to instructors and (ii) may
sponsor an
annual
conference of leaders in government, industry, health, and education to
evaluate the state of this State's environment and natural resources.

(c) The Director, in accordance with the Personnel Code, shall employ
such personnel, provide such facilities, and contract for such outside services
as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the Department.  Maximum use
shall be made of existing federal and state agencies, facilities, and personnel
in conducting research under this Act.

(c-5) The Department may use the services of, and enter into necessary agreements with, outside entities for the purpose of evaluating grant applications and for the purpose of administering or monitoring  compliance with grant agreements. Contracts under this subsection shall not exceed 2 years in length.

(d) In addition to its other powers, the Department has the following
powers:

(1) To obtain, store, process, and provide data and

information related to the powers and duties of the Department under this Act. This subdivision (d)(1) does not give authority to the Department to require reports from nongovernmental sources or entities.

(2) To cooperate with and support the Illinois

Science and Technology Advisory Committee and the Illinois Coalition for the purpose of facilitating the effective operations and activities of such entities.  Support may include, but need not be limited to, providing space for the operations of the Committee and the Illinois Coalition.

(e) The Department is authorized to make grants to local not-for-profit
organizations for the purposes of development, maintenance and study of
wetland areas.

(f) The Department has the authority to accept, receive and administer
on behalf of the State any gifts, bequests, donations, income from property
rental and endowments.  Any such funds received by the Department shall be
deposited into the DNR Special Projects Fund, a trust fund in the State treasury, and used for the purposes of this Act or,
when appropriate, for such purposes and under such restrictions, terms and
conditions as are predetermined by the donor or grantor of such funds or
property.  Any accrued interest from money deposited into the DNR Special Projects Fund shall be reinvested into the Fund and used in the same
manner as the principal. The Director shall maintain records which account
for and assure that restricted funds or property are disbursed or used
pursuant to the restrictions, terms or conditions of the donor.

(g) The Department shall recognize, preserve, and promote our special
heritage of recreational hunting and trapping by providing opportunities to
hunt and trap in accordance with the Wildlife Code.

(h) Within 5 years after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the Department shall fly a United States Flag, an Illinois flag, and a POW/MIA flag at all State parks. Donations may be made by groups and individuals to the DNR Special Projects Fund for costs related to the implementation of this subsection.

(Source: P.A. 102-388, eff. 1-1-22; 102-699, eff. 4-19-22; 103-363, eff. 7-28-23.)