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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is public policy of the State of Illinois to
3provide and maintain a healthful environment for the benefit of
4this and future generations; and
 
5    WHEREAS, It is the duty of the Illinois General Assembly to
6implement and enforce this constitutionally mandated right of
7the citizens of Illinois to a healthful environment; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The citizens of Illinois need clean waterways as a
9source of drinking water, for agricultural and industrial uses,
10as a healthful habitat for aquatic species, and for the
11enjoyment of recreational activities, including fishing,
12swimming, paddling, and boating; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Excessive levels of nutrients are degrading the
14quality of streams, rivers, and lakes within the State of
15Illinois and contributing to the dead zone in the Gulf of
16Mexico; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The 2008 Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan called on the
18State of Illinois to produce a plan to reduce the amount of
19phosphorus and nitrogen carried in rivers throughout the State
20and to the Gulf of Mexico; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The State's Environmental Protection Agency and
2Department of Agriculture collaborated with a Policy Working
3Group of academia, environmental non-profits, representatives
4of federal, state, and local agencies, wastewater treatment
5professionals, and the agricultural community to develop the
6Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy in 2015; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The Strategy's Policy Working Group released its
8first biennial report on the implementation of the Strategy in
92017, documenting the substantial financial and staff resource
10efforts to educate all citizens of Illinois about nutrient
11loss, including through in-person meetings, workshops, and
12field days, as well as communication platforms to reach all
13stakeholders in Illinois; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The Strategy's biennial report also documented
15significant collaborative efforts to implement the Strategy,
16including through impressive resource investments in research,
17the installation of agricultural conservation practices across
18the State, and adoption of new technology to reduce nutrient
19levels in our waterways from wastewater discharges and runoff
20from agricultural and urban lands; and
 
21    WHEREAS, The Strategy's biennial report found a ten percent
22reduction in nitrogen loads, but a 17 percent increase in
23phosphorus loads; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The Strategy sets a milestone to reduce nitrogen
2loads by 15 percent and phosphorus loads by 25 percent by 2025
3from baseline levels (1980-1996); and
 
4    WHEREAS, The Strategy's goal is to reduce both nitrogen and
5phosphorus loads by 45 percent by 2035; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we support the Nutrient
8Loss Reduction Strategy and the work of stakeholders on the
9continued implementation of the Strategy as the State of
10Illinois and its citizens move forward in this important
11effort; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That we encourage the agencies and their partners
13in implementing the Strategy to regularly communicate with the
14General Assembly and seek their support on activities and
15long-term programs that would help further their work and
16attain the Strategy's goals.