State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Engrossed ][ House Amendment 001 ]
[ House Amendment 003 ]

90_HB0424enr

      615 ILCS 5/5              from Ch. 19, par. 52
          Amends the Rivers, Lakes,  and  Streams  Act  to  make  a
      technical  change in a provision concerning the Department of
      Natural Resources having jurisdiction  and  supervision  over
      rivers and lakes.
                                                     LRB9001978NTsb
HB0424 Enrolled                                LRB9001978NTsb
 1        AN ACT to create the Illinois River Watershed Restoration
 2    Act.
 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 1. Short title. This Act  may  be  cited  as  the
 6    Illinois River Watershed Restoration Act.
 7        Section  5.   Legislative  purpose.   The restoration and
 8    conservation of  the  Illinois  River  Watershed  is  in  the
 9    ecological  and  economic  interests  of the citizens of this
10    State. It is further in  the  public  interest  to  stimulate
11    watershed  management  projects  by local, State, and federal
12    agencies,  local  communities,  not-for-profit   conservation
13    organizations,  and  private landowners. It is the purpose of
14    this  Act  to:  create  a  group  of   leaders   representing
15    agriculture,  business,  conservation, and the environment to
16    encourage  the  implementation  of  efforts  to  restore  the
17    Illinois   River   Watershed   in   accordance    with    the
18    recommendations  of  the  Office of the Lieutenant Governor's
19    Integrated Management Plan for the Illinois  River  Watershed
20    Technical  Report  (1997);  to work with local communities to
21    develop  projects  and  regional  strategies;  and  to   make
22    recommendations  to  appropriate  State and federal agencies.
23    This Act is not intended  to  dilute  or  replicate  existing
24    federal, State, or local programs.
25        Section 10.  Definitions.  As used in this Act:
26        "Council" means the Illinois River Coordinating Council.
27        "Illinois River Watershed" or "watershed" means the lands
28    that  drain directly or through tributaries into the Illinois
29    River, including but not limited to lands surrounding the Des
30    Plaines River, Fox River, Kankakee  River,  La  Moine  River,
HB0424 Enrolled             -2-                LRB9001978NTsb
 1    Mackinaw  River,  Sangamon  River, Spoon River, and Vermilion
 2    River.
 3        Section 15. Illinois River Coordinating Council.
 4        (a)  There is established the Illinois River Coordinating
 5    Council, consisting of 13 voting members to be  appointed  by
 6    the Governor. One member shall be the Lieutenant Governor who
 7    shall  serve  as  a  voting  member and as chairperson of the
 8    Council.  The Agency members of the Council shall include the
 9    Director, or his or her designee, of each  of  the  following
10    agencies:    the Department of Agriculture, the Department of
11    Commerce and Community Affairs,  the  Illinois  Environmental
12    Protection  Agency,  the Department of Natural Resources, and
13    the Department of Transportation.  In addition,  the  Council
14    shall   include   one  member  representing  Soil  and  Water
15    Conservation Districts located within the  Watershed  of  the
16    Illinois River and its tributaries and 6 members representing
17    local  communities,  not-for-profit  organizations working to
18    protect the Illinois River Watershed, business,  agriculture,
19    recreation,  conservation, and the environment.  The Governor
20    may,  at  his  or   her   discretion,   appoint   individuals
21    representing   federal  agencies  to  serve  as  ex  officio,
22    non-voting members.
23        (b)  Members of the Council  shall  serve  2-year  terms,
24    except  that  of the initial appointments, 5 members shall be
25    appointed to serve  3-year  terms  and  4  members  to  serve
26    one-year terms.
27        (c)  The Council shall meet at least quarterly.
28        (d)  The  Office  of  the  Lieutenant  Governor  shall be
29    responsible for the operations of the  Council.   The  Office
30    may  reimburse  members  of  the  Council  for  ordinary  and
31    contingent  expenses  incurred  in the performance of Council
32    duties.
HB0424 Enrolled             -3-                LRB9001978NTsb
 1        Section 20. Duties of the Council.  The Council shall:
 2             (1)  periodically  review  activities  and  programs
 3        administered by State and federal agencies that  directly
 4        impact the Illinois River Watershed;
 5             (2)  work  with  local communities and organizations
 6        to encourage  partnerships  that  enhance  awareness  and
 7        capabilities  to  address  watershed  and  water resource
 8        concerns  and  to  encourage  strategies  that   protect,
 9        restore,   and   expand   critical   habitats   and  soil
10        conservation and water quality practices;
11             (3)  work  with  State  and  federal   agencies   to
12        optimize  the expenditure of funds affecting the Illinois
13        River Watershed;
14             (4)  advise  State  agencies  on  ways   to   better
15        coordinate   the   expenditure   of   appropriated  funds
16        affecting the Illinois River Watershed;
17             (5)  encourage   local   communities   to    develop
18        watershed   management   plans   to  address  stormwater,
19        erosion, flooding, sedimentation, and pollution  problems
20        and  shall  encourage projects for the natural conveyance
21        and storage of floodwaters, the enhancement  of  wildlife
22        habitat   and   outdoor   recreation  opportunities,  the
23        recovery, management, and conservation  of  the  Illinois
24        River  and its tributaries, the preservation of farmland,
25        prairies, and forests, and the use of measurable economic
26        development  efforts  that  are   compatible   with   the
27        ecological health of the Watershed and this State; and
28             (6)  help  identify  possible  sources of additional
29        funding for watershed management projects.
30        To the extent practical, the Council  shall  perform  its
31    duties  in  accordance  with  the  Office  of  the Lieutenant
32    Governor's Integrated Management Plan for the Illinois  River
33    Watershed Technical Report (1997).
HB0424 Enrolled             -4-                LRB9001978NTsb
 1        Section  25.  Agency  duties.  State agencies represented
 2    on the Council shall provide  to  the  Council,  on  request,
 3    information  concerning  agency  programs and activities that
 4    impact the restoration of the Illinois River Watershed.
 5        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
 6    becoming law.

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