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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, "Green infrastructure" means any storm water
3management technique or practice employed with the primary
4goal of preserving, restoring, or mimicking natural hydrology;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, Green infrastructure includes, but is not limited
7to, methods of using soil and vegetation to promote soil
8percolation, evapotranspiration, and filtration; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Green infrastructure includes the preservation
10and restoration of natural landscape features, such as
11forests, floodplains, headwaters, and wetlands; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Green infrastructure also includes rain gardens,
13permeable pavements, green roofs, infiltration planters, trees
14and tree boxes, and rainwater harvesting for non-potable uses,
15such as toilet flushing and landscape irrigation; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Urban storm water, when not properly controlled
17and treated, can cause pollution of the waters of the State,
18threaten public health, and damage property by carrying
19pollutants from our highways, streets, roads, parking lots,
20driveways, sidewalks, alleys, lawns, and other surfaces of low
21permeability into lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Development can increase storm water runoff by
2increasing the size and number of paved and other impervious
3surfaces within a watershed and decreasing the extent of
4vegetated and other permeable surface areas that control storm
5water runoff through natural infiltration and
6evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Current urban storm water related threats to the
8State's water resources include pollution, increased water
9temperatures, flooding, groundwater depletion, loss of
10habitat, stream bank erosion, sewer overflows, basement
11backups, contaminated drinking water sources, and
12sedimentation of waterways; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Some studies show that preserving and expanding
14natural and built green infrastructure can minimize negative
15impacts and enhance the resilience of water infrastructure and
16water bodies; and
 
17    WHEREAS, There are a number of potential benefits from the
18use of green infrastructure, including cleaner water, enhanced
19water supplies, reduced flooding, cleaner air, increased
20energy efficiency, the mitigation and adaptation of the
21impacts of climate change, increased biodiversity, improved
22benefits for communities, better health potential for

 

 

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1inhabitants, more green jobs, and cost savings; therefore, be
2it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
4ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare April 21
5through April 27, 2024 as Green Infrastructure Week in the
6State of Illinois; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That we encourage individuals, businesses, and
8local and state governments to pursue Green Infrastructure
9initiatives.