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| [ Introduced ] | [ Enrolled ] | [ House Amendment 001 ] |
| [ House Amendment 003 ] |
90_HB0424eng
615 ILCS 5/5 from Ch. 19, par. 52
Amends the Rivers, Lakes, and Streams Act to make a
technical change in a provision concerning the Department of
Natural Resources having jurisdiction and supervision over
rivers and lakes.
LRB9001978NTsb
HB0424 Engrossed LRB9001978NTsb
1 AN ACT to create the Illinois River Watershed Restoration
2 Act.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
6 Illinois River Watershed Restoration Act.
7 Section 5. Legislative purpose. The restoration and
8 conservation of the Illinois River Watershed is in the
9 ecological and economic interests of the citizens of this
10 State. It is further in the public interest to stimulate
11 watershed management projects by local, State, and federal
12 agencies, local communities, not-for-profit conservation
13 organizations, and private landowners. It is the purpose of
14 this Act to: create a group of leaders representing
15 agriculture, business, conservation, and the environment to
16 encourage the implementation of efforts to restore the
17 Illinois River Watershed in accordance with the
18 recommendations of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor's
19 Integrated Management Plan for the Illinois River Watershed
20 Technical Report (1997); to work with local communities to
21 develop projects and regional strategies; and to make
22 recommendations to appropriate State and federal agencies.
23 This Act is not intended to dilute or replicate existing
24 federal, State, or local programs.
25 Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
26 "Council" means the Illinois River Coordinating Council.
27 "Illinois River Watershed" or "watershed" means the lands
28 that drain directly or through tributaries into the Illinois
29 River, including but not limited to lands surrounding the Des
30 Plaines River, Fox River, Kankakee River, La Moine River,
HB0424 Engrossed -2- LRB9001978NTsb
1 Mackinaw River, Sangamon River, Spoon River, and Vermilion
2 River.
3 Section 15. Illinois River Coordinating Council.
4 (a) There is established the Illinois River Coordinating
5 Council, consisting of 13 voting members to be appointed by
6 the Governor. One member shall be the Lieutenant Governor who
7 shall serve as a voting member and as chairperson of the
8 Council. The Agency members of the Council shall include the
9 Director, or his or her designee, of each of the following
10 agencies: the Department of Agriculture, the Department of
11 Commerce and Community Affairs, the Illinois Environmental
12 Protection Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, and
13 the Department of Transportation. In addition, the Council
14 shall include one member representing Soil and Water
15 Conservation Districts located within the Watershed of the
16 Illinois River and its tributaries and 6 members representing
17 local communities, not-for-profit organizations working to
18 protect the Illinois River Watershed, business, agriculture,
19 recreation, conservation, and the environment. The Governor
20 may, at his or her discretion, appoint individuals
21 representing federal agencies to serve as ex officio,
22 non-voting members.
23 (b) Members of the Council shall serve 2-year terms,
24 except that of the initial appointments, 5 members shall be
25 appointed to serve 3-year terms and 4 members to serve
26 one-year terms.
27 (c) The Council shall meet at least quarterly.
28 (d) The Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall be
29 responsible for the operations of the Council. The Office
30 may reimburse members of the Council for ordinary and
31 contingent expenses incurred in the performance of Council
32 duties.
HB0424 Engrossed -3- LRB9001978NTsb
1 Section 20. Duties of the Council. The Council shall:
2 (1) periodically review activities and programs
3 administered by State and federal agencies that directly
4 impact the Illinois River Watershed;
5 (2) work with local communities and organizations
6 to encourage partnerships that enhance awareness and
7 capabilities to address watershed and water resource
8 concerns and to encourage strategies that protect,
9 restore, and expand critical habitats and soil
10 conservation and water quality practices;
11 (3) work with State and federal agencies to
12 optimize the expenditure of funds affecting the Illinois
13 River Watershed;
14 (4) advise State agencies on ways to better
15 coordinate the expenditure of appropriated funds
16 affecting the Illinois River Watershed;
17 (5) encourage local communities to develop
18 watershed management plans to address stormwater,
19 erosion, flooding, sedimentation, and pollution problems
20 and shall encourage projects for the natural conveyance
21 and storage of floodwaters, the enhancement of wildlife
22 habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities, the
23 recovery, management, and conservation of the Illinois
24 River and its tributaries, the preservation of farmland,
25 prairies, and forests, and the use of measurable economic
26 development efforts that are compatible with the
27 ecological health of the Watershed and this State; and
28 (6) help identify possible sources of additional
29 funding for watershed management projects.
30 To the extent practical, the Council shall perform its
31 duties in accordance with the Office of the Lieutenant
32 Governor's Integrated Management Plan for the Illinois River
33 Watershed Technical Report (1997).
HB0424 Engrossed -4- LRB9001978NTsb
1 Section 25. Agency duties. State agencies represented
2 on the Council shall provide to the Council, on request,
3 information concerning agency programs and activities that
4 impact the restoration of the Illinois River Watershed.
5 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
6 becoming law.