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91_SR0152
LRB9106856ACtmA
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, In the past decade, recycling efforts by local
3 government have translated into a statewide recycling rate of
4 27%, helping to reduce Illinois' dependence on landfills;
5 Illinois now has 225% more landfill capacity than it did 10
6 years ago, although the number of landfills has dropped
7 dramatically; and
8 WHEREAS, Much of the success of recycling programs can be
9 attributed to the effective use of local tipping fee
10 surcharge revenues; unfortunately, some jurisdictions are
11 faced with the loss of surcharge revenues and others are
12 still working without any revenue to develop their recycling
13 programs; and
14 WHEREAS, Local solid waste agencies throughout the State
15 use their tipping fee surcharge revenues to fund regional
16 recycling activities such as: (1) electronics recovery events
17 to recycle computer, stereo, and other electronic equipment;
18 (2) paint exchanges where residents can drop off and pick up
19 useable latex and oil-based paint for free; (3) textile and
20 book recovery events; (4) household hazardous waste
21 collection events to help residents rid their home of
22 dangerous and toxic chemicals in a safe manner; and (5) a
23 regional recycling education campaign to help maintain
24 residents' awareness of the importance of their recycling
25 efforts; and
26 WHEREAS, Under the current law regarding tipping fees,
27 local solid waste agencies and many counties have lost or
28 will lose access to tipping fee revenues later this year and
29 will be forced to either severely cut back or end their
30 programs; and
31 WHEREAS, Local jurisdictions need the surcharge to
32 sustain and expand their recycling efforts; many areas of
-2- LRB9106856ACtmA
1 the State, including McHenry, McLean, DuPage, Sangamon, and
2 Champaign counties, can no longer access surcharge revenues
3 under the current statute; sixty-four counties in Illinois do
4 not have access to local tipping fee surcharge dollars to
5 help fund their recycling programs; as a result of the lack
6 of funding, 51 Illinois counties have an average recycling
7 rate of 8% and 33 counties have an average recycling rate of
8 16%; therefore, be it
9 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIRST GENERAL
10 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is created the
11 Solid Waste Tipping Fee Surcharge Task Force consisting of 2
12 members of the House and one public member appointed by the
13 Speaker of the House, 2 members of the House and one public
14 member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House, 2
15 members of the Senate and one public member appointed by the
16 President of the Senate, 2 members of the Senate and one
17 public member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate,
18 and 3 public members appointed by the Governor, all of whom
19 shall serve without compensation; and be it further
20 RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet initially at the
21 call of the Speaker and the President, shall select one
22 member as chairperson at its initial meeting, shall
23 thereafter meet at the call of the chairperson, shall hold
24 public hearings, shall receive the assistance of legislative
25 staff, and shall report its findings and recommendations
26 concerning the loss of solid waste tipping fee surcharges on
27 local governments in Illinois and ways to rectify that loss
28 by filing copies of its report with the Clerk of the House
29 and the Secretary of the Senate on or before December 31,
30 1999; and that upon filing its report the committee is
31 dissolved.