Bill Text: IL HR0019 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges the Governor to present a capital budget that includes $100,000,000, on an annual basis, for the Illinois Special Places Acquisition, Conservation and Enhancement (iSPACE) Program, which includes the following: (i) a new statewide land acquisition program to protect the State's most precious natural resources and provide recreational opportunities, including matching grants to local governments; (ii) implementation of the Partners for Conservation Program (formerly Conservation 2000) through land acquisition and management grants; and (iii) implementation of the Hunting Heritage Protection Act by increasing the amount of land acreage available for hunting opportunities in Illinois.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 14-5)
Status: (Passed) 2009-04-22 - Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Patricia R. Bellock [HR0019 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2009-HR0019-Introduced.html
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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, Illinois ranks in the bottom third of states in | ||||||
3 | the U.S. in the acquisition of land for parks, recreation and | ||||||
4 | habitat; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Illinois ranks last by a wide margin among | ||||||
6 | Midwestern states in acres protected per capita with only one | ||||||
7 | percent of protected state-owned recreation land; and
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8 | WHEREAS, Land prices continue to rise and development | ||||||
9 | pressures mount making the need for protecting open space more | ||||||
10 | acute; and
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11 | WHEREAS, The quantity of water supplied by aquifers, inland | ||||||
12 | streams, and Lake Michigan is limited and land conservation | ||||||
13 | provides water recharge and stream buffering providing for the | ||||||
14 | protection of drinking water resources; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Outdoor recreation contributes to a healthy | ||||||
16 | lifestyle for the State's youth and adults alike, and young | ||||||
17 | people need more access to safe, rewarding outdoor experiences | ||||||
18 | to combat the growing epidemic of childhood obesity; and
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19 | WHEREAS, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has | ||||||
20 | called for the creation of more parks and playgrounds to |
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1 | counteract childhood obesity; and
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2 | WHEREAS, Parks and natural areas contribute to increased | ||||||
3 | property values of neighboring properties; and
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4 | WHEREAS, Native Illinois wildlife populations have | ||||||
5 | declined precipitously, and currently Illinois has 424 State | ||||||
6 | and 24 federally listed threatened and endangered species; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Natural habitats have been shown to improve air | ||||||
8 | quality; and
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9 | WHEREAS, Illinois has lost more than 90% of its original | ||||||
10 | wetlands and 99% of it original open prairie and it is critical | ||||||
11 | to take steps now to protect the remaining acreage; and
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12 | WHEREAS, The Illinois State Wildlife Action Plan has won | ||||||
13 | national recognition but remains underfunded; and
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14 | WHEREAS, Illinois parks and natural areas generate 42,000 | ||||||
15 | jobs and create recreational opportunities for all Illinois | ||||||
16 | citizens; and
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17 | WHEREAS, Hunting, fishing, and wildlife associated | ||||||
18 | recreation currently generates nearly $4,200,000,000 in | ||||||
19 | economic activity in Illinois; and
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1 | WHEREAS, Voters have given overwhelming support to local | ||||||
2 | referenda for land acquisition and public opinion polls show | ||||||
3 | 92% of the public registering support for the State preserving | ||||||
4 | open space and wildlife habitat; and
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5 | WHEREAS, According to the most recent Statewide | ||||||
6 | Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2003-2008, more than | ||||||
7 | $3,000,000,000 in State and local funding is necessary to, | ||||||
8 | protect an additional 85,000 acres across the State, for | ||||||
9 | renovation and restoration projects in existing parks and for | ||||||
10 | new public recreation facilities; and
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11 | WHEREAS, Land acquisition is a capital intensive | ||||||
12 | investment; therefore, be it
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13 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
14 | NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | ||||||
15 | recognize that current funding for open space is severely | ||||||
16 | lacking; that capital budgets have traditionally provided | ||||||
17 | resources for land acquisition, stewardship, and public | ||||||
18 | recreational opportunities; that the value of parks and natural | ||||||
19 | areas in protecting Illinois from flooding, improving water | ||||||
20 | quality, generating economic activity, and improving public | ||||||
21 | health is without question; and be it further
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1 | Resolved, That we urge the Governor to present a capital | ||||||
2 | budget that includes $100,000,000 on an annual basis for the | ||||||
3 | Illinois Special Places Acquisition, Conservation and | ||||||
4 | Enhancement (iSPACE) Program, which includes the following: | ||||||
5 | (1) a new statewide land acquisition program to protect | ||||||
6 | the State's most precious natural resources and provide | ||||||
7 | recreational opportunities, including matching grants to | ||||||
8 | local governments; | ||||||
9 | (2) implementation of the Partners for Conservation | ||||||
10 | Program (formerly Conservation 2000) through land | ||||||
11 | acquisition and management grants; and | ||||||
12 | (3) implementation of the Hunting Heritage Protection | ||||||
13 | Act by increasing the amount of land acreage available for | ||||||
14 | hunting opportunities in Illinois; and be it further
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15 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution, be | ||||||
16 | presented to the Speaker of the House of Representative, the | ||||||
17 | Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the President | ||||||
18 | of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Director | ||||||
19 | of Natural Resources, and the Governor.
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