Sen. Jeffrey M. Schoenberg

Filed: 5/5/2011

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1558

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 1558 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Lake
5Michigan Offshore Wind Energy Advisory Council Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
7    "Council" means the Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Energy
8Advisory Council created under this Act.
9    "Department" means the Illinois Department of Natural
10Resources.
11    "Local government" means county, township, or
12municipality.
 
13    Section 10. The Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Energy
14Recommendation Report.
15    (a) In order to assist in the evaluation and consideration

 

 

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1of offshore wind energy projects in Illinois waters of Lake
2Michigan, the Department shall examine the topics identified in
3subsection (b) of this Section and report its findings and
4recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by June
530, 2012. During preparation of the report, the Department is
6not expected to fund or perform original scientific studies.
7    (b) In preparing a report, the Department shall evaluate
8all of the following:
9        (1) Appropriate criteria for the Department to use to
10    review applications for offshore wind development of Lake
11    Michigan lakebed leases.
12        (2) Criteria for identifying areas that are favorable,
13    acceptable, and unacceptable for offshore wind
14    development, including, but not limited to, impacts to
15    wildlife, protected habitats, navigation, commercial
16    fisheries, and recreational uses of Lake Michigan.
17        (3) A recommended process for ensuring public
18    engagement in the Department's process for leasing Lake
19    Michigan lakebed for offshore wind energy projects.
20        (4) Options for how the State shall be compensated for
21    Lake Michigan lakebed leasing.
22        (5) A summary of the lessons learned from other
23    domestic and international offshore wind development
24    experiences, including, but not limited to, those related
25    to public policy, regulatory, and siting concerns for
26    offshore wind development.

 

 

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1        (6) Identification of local, State, and federal
2    authorities with permitting, siting, or other approval
3    authority for wind power development in Lake Michigan.
4        (7) Recommendations for needed State legislation and
5    regulations governing offshore wind farm development.
 
6    Section 15. The Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Energy Advisory
7Council.
8    (a) The Council is created as a separate entity within the
9Department of Natural Resources and shall consist of the
10Director or Chairman, or their designee, of the following 5
11State agencies:
12        (1) The Department of Natural Resources.
13        (2) The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
14        (3) The Illinois Power Agency.
15        (4) The Illinois Commerce Commission.
16        (5) The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
17    (b) The Director of Natural Resources shall serve as
18chairperson of the Council. The chairperson shall select the
19following public members to serve on the Council:
20        (1) One individual representing a statewide
21    environmental organization.
22        (2) One individual representing the tourism industry.
23        (3) One resident of the State representing an Illinois
24    institution of higher education.
25        (4) Two residents of the State representing lakefront

 

 

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1    communities.
2        (5) One individual representing an electrical utility
3    industry.
4        (6) One individual representing an independent
5    transmission company.
6        (7) One individual representing the offshore wind
7    energy industry.
8        (8) One individual representing local government
9    officials.
10        (9) One individual representing a regional
11    environmental organization.
12        (10) One individual representing the commercial
13    fishing industry.
14        (11) One individual representing the recreational
15    boating community.
16    (c) At his or her discretion, the chairperson may appoint
17additional public members to the Council.
18    (d) The Speaker of the House, Minority Leader of the House,
19Senate President, and Minority Leader of the Senate shall each
20appoint one member of the General Assembly to serve on the
21Council.
22    (e) Members of the Council shall serve without
23compensation.
24    (f) The Council shall examine the topics identified in
25subsection (b) of Section 10 of this Act and shall make
26recommendations to the Department during the preparation of the

 

 

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1report to the General Assembly and Governor.
 
2    Section 20. Repeal of Act. This Act shall be repealed on
3July 1, 2012.
 
4    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
52011.".