Bill Text: IL SB2357 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill. Deletes provisions that the Department of Natural Resources shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant plan for the preservation and enhancement of forests, prairies, and wetlands in Illinois. Provides that eligible entities for the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program include: (1) units of State and local government, including, but not limited to, State agencies, municipalities, townships, counties, forest preserves, and park districts; (2) conservation land trusts; (3) not-for-profit entities with conservation missions including, but not limited to, climate change mitigation, preservation of natural lands, and conservation of the State's natural resources; and (4) other entities to be determined by the Department as eligible recipients of the grants under the Act. Provides that the Department may utilize an amount not to exceed 25% of the funds appropriated for the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program for administrative costs and for grants to eligible entities.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-06-26 - Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-9(b) / Referred to Assignments [SB2357 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB2357-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2357 Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Rachel Ventura SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
20 ILCS 801/1-15
30 ILCS 105/5.990 new
Creates the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant plan for the preservation and enhancement of forests, prairies, and wetlands in Illinois. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources, pursuant to the comprehensive plan and subject to appropriation, shall establish and administer a Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program to restore degraded forest lands and native prairies, and to promote the growth of native vegetation that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help to mitigate the impact of climate change. Provides that units of local government are eligible to submit a grant proposal in a format and at a time prescribed by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that grants may be used by units of local government to fund: (1) local projects restoring or expanding forests, wetlands, prairies, or other natural landscapes demonstrated to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; (2) education and marketing regarding local projects or steps community members may take to promote the growth of native vegetation that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; and (3) any other purpose approved by the Department of Natural Resources that advances the State goal that there be no overall net loss of the State's existing forest, prairie, or wetland acres or their functional value due to State-supported activities. Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act and the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.
LRB103 29077 RLC 55463 b
A BILL FOR
SB2357 LRB103 29077 RLC 55463 b
AN ACT concerning conservation.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act.
Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds it is in
the interest of the State to encourage natural solutions as
one component of the State's efforts to reduce and remediate
the impacts of climate change. Natural solutions must include
planting native trees and other vegetation demonstrated to
reduce carbon dioxide. To accomplish this, the State must
offer assistance to other units of local government that are
taking steps to fight climate change by restoring forests,
wetlands, prairies, and other landscapes native to Illinois
and demonstrated to have a positive environmental impact.
Section 10. State goal. It is the goal of the State that
there be no overall net loss of the State's existing forest,
prairie, or wetland acres or their functional value due to
State-supported activities. Further, the State and units of
local government shall preserve, enhance, and create forests,
prairies, and wetlands where practical in order to mitigate
the impact of climate change and reduce carbon dioxide from

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the atmosphere.
Section 15. Comprehensive plan. The Department of Natural
Resources shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive Healthy
Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant plan for the
preservation and enhancement of forests, prairies, and
wetlands in Illinois.
Section 20. Receipt of federal moneys. The Department of
Natural Resources may receive federal moneys to administer a
Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program.
Section 25. Establishment of the Healthy Forests,
Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program.
(a) The Department of Natural Resources, pursuant to the
comprehensive plan developed according to Section 15 and
subject to appropriation, shall establish and administer a
Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program to
restore degraded forest lands and native prairies, and to
promote the growth of native vegetation that remove carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere and help to mitigate the impact of
climate change.
(b) Units of local government are eligible to submit a
grant proposal in a format and at a time prescribed by the
Department of Natural Resources.
(c) Grants may be used by units of local government to

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fund:
(1) local projects restoring or expanding forests,
wetlands, prairies, or other natural landscapes
demonstrated to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere;
(2) education and marketing regarding local projects
or steps community members may take to promote the growth
of native vegetation that removes carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere; and
(3) any other purpose approved by the Department of
Natural Resources that advances the State goal described
in Section 10 of this Act.
Section 30. Healthy, Forests, Wetlands, and Prairie Grant
Fund. The Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairie Grant Fund is
created in the State treasury. The fund shall be administered
by the Department of Natural Resources. The fund may receive
moneys appropriated by the General Assembly, the federal
government, private donations, or from any other legal source.
Section 35. Rules. The Department of Natural Resources
shall adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of this
Act.
Section 90. The Department of Natural Resources Act is
amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows:

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(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

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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, forests, prairies, and

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other landscapes demonstrated to reduce the impact of climate
change.
(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 Natural Resources Fund, a special fund which is hereby
created 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 Natural Resources 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 Department's Special Projects Fund for

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costs related to the implementation of this subsection.
(Source: P.A. 102-388, eff. 1-1-22; 102-699, eff. 4-19-22.)
Section 95. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
Section 5.990 as follows:
(30 ILCS 105/5.990 new)
Sec. 5.990. The Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairie
Grant Fund.