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90_HJ0057
LRB9011938ACcd
1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing
3 to establish a 30,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge along the
4 Grand Kankakee River in Illinois and Indiana by preserving
5 the existing remnants and restoring former parcels of
6 wetlands, oak savannas, and prairies; and
7 WHEREAS, The Kankakee River watershed extends from the
8 headwaters of the Kankakee River near South Bend, Indiana to
9 its confluence with the Des Plaines River, where the two
10 rivers form the Illinois River, southwest of Joliet,
11 Illinois; and
12 WHEREAS, The Grand Kankakee Marsh was one of the largest
13 inland marshes in the world, comprising 500,000 acres of
14 wetlands, oak savannas, and native prairies until it was
15 drained and converted to agriculture; and
16 WHEREAS, More than 90 percent of Illinois wetlands have
17 been destroyed over the last 200 years, and the proposed
18 Refuge would restore some of these wetlands; and
19 WHEREAS, Wetlands, oak savannas, and native prairies are
20 part of our State's natural heritage and are among the most
21 biologically diverse ecosystems in the world; and
22 WHEREAS, The remnants of these ecosystems are being
23 threatened by urban sprawl from the Chicago metropolitan area
24 and Gary, Indiana and need to be protected before they are
25 lost; and
26 WHEREAS, The Kankakee River watershed drains a total of
27 5,167 square miles, 2,177 of which are in Illinois; and
28 WHEREAS, There are extensive flooding, soil erosion,
29 siltation, and water pollution problems along the Kankakee
30 River; and
-2- LRB9011938ACcd
1 WHEREAS, The proposed Refuge would restore wetlands and
2 therefore help alleviate flooding, soil erosion, and
3 siltation problems, improve the overall quality of the
4 Kankakee River, filter pollutants from a public drinking
5 water supply, and provide a wildlife habitat; and
6 WHEREAS, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would work
7 with landowners adjacent to or downstream of any Refuge
8 parcels to ensure that flooding does not occur on their
9 property as a result of the Refuge; and
10 WHEREAS, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would create
11 the Refuge by acquiring fee title and conservation easements
12 from willing sellers only and by using other cooperative
13 approaches, such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund,
14 which includes royalties from offshore oil drilling, and the
15 Migratory Board Fund, which includes federal duck stamp fees;
16 and
17 WHEREAS, Funding for the Refuge will not come from
18 taxpayers; and
19 WHEREAS, The creation of a Wildlife Refuge could
20 facilitate the recovery of numerous State and
21 federally-listed threatened and endangered species by
22 restoring their natural habitat; and
23 WHEREAS, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would
24 strengthen partnerships with others to create the Refuge,
25 including the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the
26 Natural Resources Conservation Service, conservation groups,
27 and sporting clubs; and
28 WHEREAS, The Refuge would provide economic growth,
29 including increased employment and personal income of area
30 residents, due to increased tourism to the area from anglers,
31 hikers, photographers, bird-watchers, canoeists, hunters, and
-3- LRB9011938ACcd
1 other outdoor enthusiasts; and
2 WHEREAS, The Refuge would provide conservation education
3 and research opportunities to schools and scientists; and
4 WHEREAS, The Refuge would protect open space, serve as
5 invaluable wildlife habitat, and provide the opportunity to
6 restore a nationally significant oak savanna habitat in
7 Illinois; therefore be it
8 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
10 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the President and the
11 United States Congress to support the establishment of the
12 Grand Kankakee Marsh National Wildlife Refuge as proposed by
13 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That the Illinois General Assembly supports the
15 Grand Kankakee Marsh National Wildlife Refuge; and be it
16 further
17 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
18 presented to the President of the United States, the
19 presiding officers of the United States Senate and the United
20 States House of Representatives, the members of the
21 congressional delegation from Illinois, and the U.S. Fish and
22 Wildlife Service.