Bill Title: Creates the Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant plan for the preservation and enhancement of forests, prairies, and wetlands in Illinois. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources, pursuant to the comprehensive plan and subject to appropriation, shall establish and administer a 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. Provides that units of local government are eligible to submit a grant proposal in a format and at a time prescribed by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that grants may be used by units of local government to fund: (1) local projects restoring or expanding forests, wetlands, prairies, or other natural landscapes demonstrated to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; (2) 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 (3) any other purpose approved by the Department of Natural Resources that advances the State goal 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. Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act and the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 20-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-08-09 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0923
[SB2781 Detail]Download: Illinois-2023-SB2781-Chaptered.html
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| Public Act 103-0923
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| SB2781 Enrolled | LRB103 37263 JAG 67384 b |
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AN ACT concerning conservation.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, |
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the |
Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act.
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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 purpose, 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 that are native to |
Illinois and that are 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 |
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the impact of climate change and reduce carbon dioxide from |
the atmosphere.
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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.
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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 removes carbon dioxide from |
the atmosphere and helps mitigate the impact of climate |
change. |
(b) Entities that may apply to participate in the Healthy |
Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program include: |
(1) State agencies and units of local government, |
including, but not limited to, municipalities, townships, |
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 |
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(4) other entities that, because of their missions, |
are determined by the Department to be eligible recipients |
of the grants under this Act. |
(c) At least 75% of the moneys appropriated for the |
Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program shall be |
awarded to the State agencies, units of local government, land |
trusts, and other entities that the Department determines are |
eligible for a grant under this Section. The Department may |
use an amount not to exceed 23% of the moneys appropriated for |
the Program for the purposes of restoring degraded forest |
lands and native prairies and to promote the growth of native |
vegetation that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and |
help mitigate the impact of climate change. The Department may |
use an amount not to exceed 2% of the moneys appropriated for |
the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program for |
administrative costs associated with the Program. |
(d) The Department shall adopt any rules necessary for the |
implementation of this Act, including rules establishing |
requirements and timeframes for the submission of grant |
applications by entities that are authorized to apply to |
participate in the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies |
Grant Program. |
(e) Grants provided 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 |
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mitigation through promotion of the management, planting, |
maintaining, and preserving of native grasses, plants, and |
trees; |
(2) financing 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; |
(3) financing projects that promote the stewardship of |
existing public and private urban forests and natural |
lands, including the removal of invasive or nonnative |
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; and |
(5) promoting 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.
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Section 25. Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant |
Fund. The Healthy Forest, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant 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. Subject to the limitations in |
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subsection (c) of Section 20 of this Act, moneys in the Fund |
shall be used by the Department for the purpose of providing |
grant assistance in accordance with this Act and for the |
purpose of administering the grant program established under |
this Act.
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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 |
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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 |
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 |
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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, |
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 DNR Special Projects Fund, a trust fund 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 DNR Special Projects 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. |
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(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 |
individuals to the DNR 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; |
103-363, eff. 7-28-23.)
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Section 95. The State Finance Act is amended by adding |
Section 5.1015 as follows:
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