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Public Act 102-1008
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| SB3178 Enrolled | LRB102 23106 RJF 32264 b |
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Rivers |
of Illinois Coordinating Council Act.
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Section 5. Purpose. The Rivers of Illinois Coordinating |
Council was created by Executive Order 2013-5. This Act is the |
implementation of Part III of that Executive Order, together |
with additional provisions to ensure that the Council is able |
to function as intended under that Executive Order. The intent |
of this Act is to ensure that the Council is able to fulfill |
its duties and purpose under that Executive Order. If there is |
a conflict between the provisions of the Executive Order and |
this Act, this Act shall be controlling.
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Section 10. Transfer and consolidation of powers. |
(a) The Rivers of Illinois Coordinating Council created by |
Executive Order 2013-5 and implemented by this Act is the |
successor to: (i) the Illinois River Coordinating Council; |
(ii) the Mississippi River Coordinating Council; and (iii) the |
Wabash and Ohio River Coordinating Council. |
(b) All rights, powers, duties, and functions vested by |
law in the entities specified under subsection (a), or any |
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office, division, council, committee, bureau, board, |
commission, officer, employee, or associated individual, |
person, or entity thereof, and all rights, powers, and duties |
incidental to those entities, including funding mechanisms, |
are consolidated in and transferred to the Rivers of Illinois |
Coordinating Council.
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Section 15. Rivers of Illinois Coordinating Council. |
(a) There is established the Rivers of Illinois |
Coordinating Council consisting of 20 voting members to be |
appointed by the Governor as provided in this Section. The |
Governor may, at his or her discretion, also appoint |
individuals to serve as additional non-voting members of the |
Council. |
(b) The Council shall include the following members: |
(1) One member shall be the Lieutenant Governor, who |
shall serve as a voting member and as Chairperson of the |
Council. |
(2) The State agency members of the Council shall |
include the head, or his or her designee, of each of the |
following State agencies or divisions thereof: (A) the |
Department of Agriculture; (B) the Department of Commerce |
and Economic Opportunity; (C) the Illinois Environmental |
Protection Agency; (D) the Department of Natural |
Resources; (E) the Department of Transportation; and (F) |
the Historic Preservation Division of the Department of |
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Natural Resources. |
(3) The head, or his or her designee, of the: (A) Army |
Corp of Engineers; (B) the National Great Rivers Research |
and Education Center (NGRREC); (C) the Illinois State |
Water Survey; and (D) the Association of Illinois Soil and |
Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD). |
(4) Nine members representing local communities and |
not-for-profit organizations working to protect the |
rivers, business, agriculture, recreation, conservation, |
and the environment. |
(c) Members of the Council appointed under paragraph (4) |
of subsection (b) shall serve 2-year terms, except that of the |
initial appointments, 5 members shall be appointed to serve |
2-year terms and 4 members to serve one-year terms. |
(d) Members of the Council shall meet at least quarterly, |
and meetings may be held in-person, by videoconference, or by |
telephone conference at the discretion of the Chairperson. |
(e) The Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall be |
responsible for the operations of the Council, including, |
without limitation, funding and oversight of the Council's |
activities. Members of the Council shall serve without |
compensation, but the Office of the Lieutenant Governor may |
reimburse members of the Council for travel expenses from |
funds appropriated for that purpose.
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Section 20. Duties of the Council. |
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(a) The Council shall do the following: |
(1) periodically review activities and programs |
administered by State and federal agencies that directly |
impact the Illinois River Watershed, the Mississippi |
River, and the Wabash and Ohio Rivers; |
(2) work with local communities and organizations to |
encourage partnerships that enhance awareness and |
capabilities to address watershed and water resource |
concerns and to encourage strategies that protect, |
restore, and expand critical habitats and soil |
conservation and water quality practices; |
(3) work with State and federal agencies to optimize |
the expenditure of funds affecting the Illinois River |
Watershed and rivers; |
(4) advise and make recommendations to the Governor |
and State agencies on ways to better coordinate the |
expenditure of appropriated funds affecting the Illinois |
River Watershed and rivers; |
(5) advise and make recommendations to the Governor on |
funds and the priority of projects; |
(6) encourage local communities to develop watershed |
management plans to address storm water, erosion, |
flooding, sedimentation, and pollution problems, and |
encourage projects for the natural conveyance and storage |
of floodwaters, the enhancement of wildlife habitat and |
outdoor recreation opportunities, the recovery, |
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management, and conservation of the rivers, the |
preservation of farmland, prairies, and forests, and the |
use of measurable economic development efforts that are |
compatible with the ecological health of the State; and |
(7) help identify possible sources of additional |
funding for rivers and watershed management projects. |
(b) To the extent practical, the Council shall perform its |
duties in accordance with the Office of the Lieutenant |
Governor's Integrated Management Plan for the Illinois River |
Watershed Technical Report.
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Section 25. State agency duties. State agencies |
represented on the Council shall provide to the Council, upon |
request, information concerning agency programs and activities |
that impact the Illinois River Watershed and the rivers.
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(20 ILCS 3967/Act rep.) |
Section 100. The Illinois River Watershed Restoration Act |
is repealed.
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(20 ILCS 4003/Act rep.) |
Section 105. The Mississippi River Coordinating Council |
Act is repealed.
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(20 ILCS 4060/Act rep.) |
Section 110. The Wabash and Ohio Rivers Coordinating |