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1		SENATE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, Millions of Americans have discovered the joys of
3		walking, running, hiking, and cycling the rapidly expanding
4		trails that crisscross our great nation; and
5		WHEREAS, Central Illinois is at the heart of and is a
6		critical link for the 6,800-mile American Discovery Trail, the
7		3,700-mile Great American Rail-Trail, and the 535-mile Grand
8		Illinois Trail; and
9		WHEREAS, The Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage
10		Area and the Illinois Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park almost
11		reach from Chicagoland to the Mississippi River, aside from a
12		15.7-mile gap between the City of LaSalle and the Village of
13		Bureau in central Illinois, along the scenic Illinois River;
14		and
15		WHEREAS, When this 15.7-mile gap becomes a trail along
16		existing rail lines, these great and grand trails from the
17		Atlantic to the Pacific and across Illinois will be, in
18		essence, linked at their center here in America's Heartland;
19		and
20		WHEREAS, Leading citizens and organizations in central
21		Illinois and Washington, D.C. have come together to work to

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1		connect this "missing link" in our trails systems, including
2		the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the National
3		Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Washington, D.C.; and
4		WHEREAS, There are also a number of supportive community
5		leaders and officials all along the 200 miles of the Hennepin
6		and I&M Canals, including Senator Win Stoller, Senator Sue
7		Rezin, former member of Congress and U.S. Secretary of
8		Transportation and current U.S. Rails-to-Trails Hall of Famer
9		Ray LaHood, former Mayor of Ottawa Robert Eschbach, La Moille
10		School District Superintendent Jay McCracken, Inga Carus,
11		Chairman, Carus LLC, community leader Todd Volker, and many
12		others; and
13		WHEREAS, Further proponents and supporters of
14		Rails-to-Trails projects include Democrats and Republicans,
15		governments and nonprofits, and citizens all across central
16		Illinois; and
17		WHEREAS, Significant funding has been appropriated for
18		Rails-to-Trails projects in the 2022 U.S. Surface
19		Transportation Act; therefore, be it
20		RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
21		ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we enthusiastically
22		support Rails-to-Trails projects to make a reality of

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1		connecting Americans from coast to coast and from Chicago to
2		all of Illinois through the marvelous trails of our nation and
3		State.