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| 1 | AN ACT concerning local government.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 5. The Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | amended by changing Sections 2, 10, 22.01, 22.03, 22.05, and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 22.07a and by adding Section 3.23 as follows:
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| 7 | (70 ILCS 405/2) (from Ch. 5, par. 107)
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| 8 | Sec. 2. Declaration of policy. The General Assembly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | declares it to be in the public interest to provide (a)
for the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | conservation of the soil, soil health, soil resources, organic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | matter in soil and plants, water quality and water
resources of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | this State, (b) for the control and prevention of soil
erosion, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | (c) for the prevention of air and water pollution and the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | improvement of resilience to droughts, floods, and other | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | extreme weather, and (d) for
the prevention of erosion, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | floodwater and sediment
damages, and thereby to conserve | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | natural resources, control floods,
prevent impairment of dams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | and reservoirs, assist in maintaining the
navigability of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | rivers and harbors, conserve wild life and forests,
protect the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | tax base, protect public lands, and protect and promote the
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| 21 | health, safety and general welfare of the people of this State.
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| 22 | The General Assembly finds that erosion continues to be a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | serious problem
throughout the State, and that rapid shifts in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | land use from agricultural
to nonagricultural uses, changes in | ||||||
| 2 | farm enterprises, operations, ownership,
construction of | ||||||
| 3 | housing, industrial and commercial developments, streets,
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| 4 | highways, recreation areas, schools, colleges and | ||||||
| 5 | universities, and other
land disturbing activities have | ||||||
| 6 | accelerated the process of soil erosion
and sediment deposition | ||||||
| 7 | resulting in reduced resilience to floods, droughts, and other | ||||||
| 8 | extreme weather, pollution of the waters of the State
and | ||||||
| 9 | damage to domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational, | ||||||
| 10 | fish and
wildlife, and other resource uses. It is, therefore, | ||||||
| 11 | declared to be the
policy of this State to strengthen and | ||||||
| 12 | extend the present erosion and sediment
control activities and | ||||||
| 13 | programs for both rural and urban lands, and to establish
and | ||||||
| 14 | implement, through the Department and soil and water | ||||||
| 15 | conservation districts
in cooperation with units of local | ||||||
| 16 | government, school districts, other political
subdivisions of | ||||||
| 17 | this State, agencies of this State and other public agencies
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| 18 | and private entities, a statewide comprehensive and | ||||||
| 19 | coordinated erosion
and sediment control program to conserve | ||||||
| 20 | and protect land, water, air and
other resources.
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| 21 | The provisions of the "Local Governmental and Governmental | ||||||
| 22 | Employees
Tort Immunity Act" shall apply to all districts | ||||||
| 23 | created pursuant to this Act.
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| 24 | (Source: P.A. 84-114.)
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| 25 | (70 ILCS 405/3.23 new) | ||||||
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| 1 | Sec. 3.23. "Soil health" means the overall composition of | ||||||
| 2 | the soil, including the amount of organic matter stored in the | ||||||
| 3 | soil, and the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital | ||||||
| 4 | living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.
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| 5 | (70 ILCS 405/10) (from Ch. 5, par. 115)
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| 6 | Sec. 10. Findings and
determinations of Department. After | ||||||
| 7 | such hearing, if the Department determines upon the facts
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| 8 | presented at such hearing and upon such other relevant facts | ||||||
| 9 | and
information as may be available that there is need in the | ||||||
| 10 | interest of the
public health, safety, and welfare, for a soil | ||||||
| 11 | and water conservation
district to function in the territory | ||||||
| 12 | considered at the hearing, it shall
make and record such | ||||||
| 13 | determination and shall define by metes and bounds, or
by legal | ||||||
| 14 | subdivisions, the boundaries of such district. In making such
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| 15 | determination and in defining such boundaries, the Department | ||||||
| 16 | shall give
due weight and consideration to the following | ||||||
| 17 | matters which are hereby
stated to be the standards which shall | ||||||
| 18 | guide the considerations of the
Department: The topography of | ||||||
| 19 | the area considered and of the State; the
composition of soils | ||||||
| 20 | therein; the distribution of erosion; the prevailing
land use | ||||||
| 21 | practices; the desirability and necessity of including within | ||||||
| 22 | the
boundaries the particular lands under consideration and the | ||||||
| 23 | benefits such
lands may receive from being included within such | ||||||
| 24 | boundaries; the relation
of the proposed area to existing | ||||||
| 25 | watersheds and agricultural regions and to
other soil | ||||||
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| 1 | conservation districts already organized or proposed for
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| 2 | organization under the provisions of this Act, and such other | ||||||
| 3 | physical,
geographical, and economic factors as are relevant. | ||||||
| 4 | The territory to be
included within such boundaries need not be | ||||||
| 5 | contiguous. No territory shall
be included within the | ||||||
| 6 | boundaries of more than one district. In cases where
territory | ||||||
| 7 | is proposed to be added to an existing district, the Department
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| 8 | shall also consider the attitude of the district directors as | ||||||
| 9 | expressed at
the hearing, by resolution or otherwise.
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| 10 | If the Department determines after such hearing, and after | ||||||
| 11 | due
consideration of the above-mentioned facts and standards | ||||||
| 12 | that there is no
need for a soil and water conservation | ||||||
| 13 | district for the territory
considered at the hearing, it shall | ||||||
| 14 | record such determination and deny the
petition. No subsequent | ||||||
| 15 | petitions covering the same or substantially the
same territory | ||||||
| 16 | shall be filed as aforesaid until after the expiration of
one | ||||||
| 17 | year from the date of such denial.
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| 18 | (Source: Laws 1961, p. 530.)
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| 19 | (70 ILCS 405/22.01) (from Ch. 5, par. 127.1)
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| 20 | Sec. 22.01.
To initiate and conduct surveys, | ||||||
| 21 | investigations and research and to
develop comprehensive plans | ||||||
| 22 | for the conservation of soil and water
resources, improvement | ||||||
| 23 | of soil health, and for the control and prevention of soil | ||||||
| 24 | erosion and erosion,
floodwater and sediment damages within the | ||||||
| 25 | district, which plans shall
specify in such detail as may be | ||||||
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| 1 | practicable the acts, procedure,
performances and avoidances | ||||||
| 2 | which are necessary or desirable for the
effectuation of such | ||||||
| 3 | plans, including the specification of engineering
operations, | ||||||
| 4 | methods of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, cropping
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| 5 | programs, tillage practices, incorporation of perennial | ||||||
| 6 | plants, and changes in use of land; and, with the
approval and | ||||||
| 7 | assistance of the Department, to publish such plans and
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| 8 | information and bring them to the attention of owners and | ||||||
| 9 | occupiers of land
within the district.
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| 10 | (Source: P.A. 77-1757.)
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| 11 | (70 ILCS 405/22.03) (from Ch. 5, par. 127.3)
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| 12 | Sec. 22.03.
To cooperate, or enter into agreements with, | ||||||
| 13 | and within the
limits of appropriations duly made available to | ||||||
| 14 | it by law, to furnish
financial or other aid to, any agency, | ||||||
| 15 | governmental or otherwise, or any
owner or occupier of lands | ||||||
| 16 | within the district, in the carrying on of soil health | ||||||
| 17 | improvement,
erosion-control, and flood prevention operations | ||||||
| 18 | within the district,
subject to such conditions as the | ||||||
| 19 | directors may deem necessary to advance
the purposes of this | ||||||
| 20 | Act.
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| 21 | (Source: Laws 1955, p. 189.)
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| 22 | (70 ILCS 405/22.05) (from Ch. 5, par. 127.5)
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| 23 | Sec. 22.05.
To make available, on such terms as it shall | ||||||
| 24 | prescribe, to
landowners or occupiers within the district, the | ||||||
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| 1 | use of agricultural and
engineering machinery and equipment, | ||||||
| 2 | and such other material or equipment
as will assist such | ||||||
| 3 | landowners or occupiers to carry on operations upon
their lands | ||||||
| 4 | for the conservation and improvement of soil health and soil | ||||||
| 5 | and water resources and for the
prevention and control of loss | ||||||
| 6 | of soil health, soil erosion, and erosion floodwater and | ||||||
| 7 | sediment
damages.
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| 8 | Soil and water conservation districts may engage in the | ||||||
| 9 | direct sale of
trees,
shrubs, or other plant materials as | ||||||
| 10 | provided in this Section. Plant materials
that may
be sold are | ||||||
| 11 | seeds of annual or perennial plants, bare-root stock, or stock | ||||||
| 12 | in
pots not
to exceed one gallon. The plant material shall be | ||||||
| 13 | advertised as follows:
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| 14 | "These plants are for conservation purposes only and | ||||||
| 15 | shall not be
used as ornamentals or for landscaping."
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| 16 | For purposes of this Section, "stock" means hardwood trees | ||||||
| 17 | not to
exceed 48 inches, conifers not to exceed 36 inches, | ||||||
| 18 | shrubs not to exceed 24
inches, or any other plant materials | ||||||
| 19 | not to exceed 24 inches.
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| 20 | (Source: P.A. 90-48, eff. 1-1-98.)
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| 21 | (70 ILCS 405/22.07a) (from Ch. 5, par. 127.7a)
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| 22 | Sec. 22.07a.
To cooperate and effectuate agreements with | ||||||
| 23 | individuals or
agencies of government, and to plan, construct, | ||||||
| 24 | operate, and maintain
programs and projects relating to the | ||||||
| 25 | improvement of soil health and conservation of the renewable | ||||||
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| 1 | natural
resources of soil, water, forests, fish, wildlife, and | ||||||
| 2 | air in this state,
for the control and prevention of loss of | ||||||
| 3 | soil health, soil erosion, floods, flood water and
sediment | ||||||
| 4 | damages, and impairment of dams and reservoirs; to assist in
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| 5 | maintaining the navigability of rivers and harbors, and in | ||||||
| 6 | addition, to
cooperate with local interests and agencies of | ||||||
| 7 | government in providing
domestic and industrial municipal and | ||||||
| 8 | agricultural water supplies and
recreational project | ||||||
| 9 | developments and improvements.
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| 10 | (Source: Laws 1963, p. 3492.)
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