Bill Amendment: IL SB2357 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly

NOTE: For additional amemendments please see the Bill Drafting List

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Bill Title: FORESTS-WETLANDS-PRAIRIES

Status: 2023-06-26 - Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-9(b) / Referred to Assignments [SB2357 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB2357-Senate_Amendment_002.html

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Sen. Rachel Ventura

Filed: 5/2/2023

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AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2357
AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2357 by replacing
everything after the enacting clause with the following:
"Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act.
Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds it is in
the interest of the State to encourage natural solutions as
one component of the State's efforts to reduce and remediate
the impacts of climate change. Natural solutions must include
planting native trees and other vegetation demonstrated to
reduce carbon dioxide. To accomplish this, the State must
offer assistance to other units of local government that are
taking steps to fight climate change by restoring forests,
wetlands, prairies, and other landscapes native to Illinois
and demonstrated to have a positive environmental impact.

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Section 10. State goal. It is the goal of the State that
there be no overall net loss of the State's existing forest,
prairie, or wetland acres or their functional value due to
State-supported activities. Further, the State and units of
local government shall preserve, enhance, and create forests,
prairies, and wetlands where practical in order to mitigate
the impact of climate change and reduce carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere.
Section 15. Receipt of federal moneys. The Department of
Natural Resources may receive federal moneys to administer a
Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program.
Section 20. Establishment of the Healthy Forests,
Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program.
(a) The Department of Natural Resources, subject to
appropriation, shall establish and administer a Healthy
Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program to restore
degraded forest lands and native prairies, and to promote the
growth of native vegetation that remove carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere and help to mitigate the impact of climate
change.
(b) Eligible entities for the Healthy Forests, Wetlands,
and Prairies Grant Program include:
(1) units of State and local government including, but
not limited to, State agencies, municipalities, townships,

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counties, forest preserves, and park districts;
(2) conservation land trusts;
(3) not-for-profit entities with conservation missions
including, but not limited to, climate change mitigation,
preservation of natural lands, and conservation of the
State's natural resources; and
(4) other entities to be determined by the Department
as eligible recipients of the grants under this Act.
(c) The Department may utilize an amount not to exceed 25%
of the funds appropriated for the Healthy Forests, Wetlands,
and Prairies Grant Program for administrative costs and for
the purposes as described in subsection (e).
(d) The Department shall adopt any rules necessary for the
implementation of this Act, including requirements and
timeframes for the submittal of grant applications by eligible
entities.
(e) Grants under this Act may be used by eligible entities
for the purpose of:
(1) matching funds for federal or private dollars for
projects that forward the goal of climate change
mitigation through the promotion of the management,
planting, maintaining and preserving of native grasses,
plants, and trees;
(2) projects along roadways and in parks and forest
preserves on public or private lands to plant native trees
and prairie grasses demonstrated to absorb carbon;

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(3) projects promoting the stewardship of existing
public and private urban forests and natural lands,
including the removal of invasive or non-native plant
species;
(4) funding regional teams tasked with planting native
prairie grasses and trees, prescribed burning for the
maintenance of natural lands, removing invasive plant
species, and educational outreach;
(5) education and marketing regarding local projects
or steps community members may take to promote the growth
of native vegetation that removes carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere; and
(6) other projects to be determined by the Department
as eligible projects under the grant program established
under this Act.
Section 25. Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant
Fund. The Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Fund
is created in the State treasury. The fund shall be
administered by the Department of Natural Resources. The fund
may receive moneys appropriated by the General Assembly or
from the federal government, private donations, or any other
legal source.
Section 90. The Department of Natural Resources Act is
amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows:

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(20 ILCS 801/1-15)
Sec. 1-15. General powers and duties.
(a) It shall be the duty of the Department to investigate
practical problems, implement studies, conduct research and
provide assistance, information and data relating to the
technology and administration of the natural history,
entomology, zoology, and botany of this State; the geology and
natural resources of this State; the water and atmospheric
resources of this State; and the archeological and cultural
history of this State.
(b) The Department (i) shall obtain, store, and process
relevant data; recommend technological, administrative, and
legislative changes and developments; cooperate with other
federal, state, and local governmental research agencies,
facilities, or institutes in the selection of projects for
study; cooperate with the Board of Higher Education and with
the public and private colleges and universities in this State
in developing relevant interdisciplinary approaches to
problems; and evaluate curricula at all levels of education
and provide assistance to instructors and (ii) may sponsor an
annual conference of leaders in government, industry, health,
and education to evaluate the state of this State's
environment and natural resources.
(c) The Director, in accordance with the Personnel Code,
shall employ such personnel, provide such facilities, and

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contract for such outside services as may be necessary to
carry out the purposes of the Department. Maximum use shall be
made of existing federal and state agencies, facilities, and
personnel in conducting research under this Act.
(c-5) The Department may use the services of, and enter
into necessary agreements with, outside entities for the
purpose of evaluating grant applications and for the purpose
of administering or monitoring compliance with grant
agreements. Contracts under this subsection shall not exceed 5
2 years, without an executed extension in length.
(d) In addition to its other powers, the Department has
the following powers:
(1) To obtain, store, process, and provide data and
information related to the powers and duties of the
Department under this Act. This subdivision (d)(1) does
not give authority to the Department to require reports
from nongovernmental sources or entities.
(2) To cooperate with and support the Illinois Science
and Technology Advisory Committee and the Illinois
Coalition for the purpose of facilitating the effective
operations and activities of such entities. Support may
include, but need not be limited to, providing space for
the operations of the Committee and the Illinois
Coalition.
(e) The Department is authorized to make grants to local
not-for-profit organizations for the purposes of development,

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management, maintenance, and study of wetland areas, forests,
prairies, and other landscapes demonstrated to reduce the
impact of climate change.
(f) The Department has the authority to accept, receive
and administer on behalf of the State any gifts, bequests,
donations, income from property rental and endowments. Any
such funds received by the Department shall be deposited into
the Natural Resources Fund, a special fund which is hereby
created in the State treasury, and used for the purposes of
this Act or, when appropriate, for such purposes and under
such restrictions, terms and conditions as are predetermined
by the donor or grantor of such funds or property. Any accrued
interest from money deposited into the Natural Resources Fund
shall be reinvested into the Fund and used in the same manner
as the principal. The Director shall maintain records which
account for and assure that restricted funds or property are
disbursed or used pursuant to the restrictions, terms or
conditions of the donor.
(g) The Department shall recognize, preserve, and promote
our special heritage of recreational hunting and trapping by
providing opportunities to hunt and trap in accordance with
the Wildlife Code.
(h) Within 5 years after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the Department
shall fly a United States Flag, an Illinois flag, and a POW/MIA
flag at all State parks. Donations may be made by groups and

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individuals to the Department's Special Projects Fund for
costs related to the implementation of this subsection.
(Source: P.A. 102-388, eff. 1-1-22; 102-699, eff. 4-19-22.)
Section 95. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
Section 5.990 as follows:
(30 ILCS 105/5.990 new)
Sec. 5.990. The Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies
Grant Fund.".