Bill Text: IL SR1029 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urges all towns within the State of Illinois to evaluate their emerald ash borer management policies.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Failed) 2013-01-08 - Session Sine Die [SR1029 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-SR1029-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois comprises part of the
largest urban landscape market in the country with more than 4
million ash trees total; our tree canopy now faces a crisis due
to the emerald ash borer that will lead to a financial crisis
for the State and its many municipalities; and
WHEREAS, Mature trees provide homeowners and
municipalities tremendous environmental and economic benefits;
trees reduce energy costs in the summer, play a role in
rainwater management, and filter air; trees represent
quantifiable value to homeowners; conservatively, five percent
of a home's value is attributable to the trees on its property;
and
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is now infested with the
invasive species known as the emerald ash borer (EAB); 100% of
all ash trees in the State of Illinois will be exposed to the
EAB in the next five years and every ash tree not treated will
expire shortly thereafter; and
WHEREAS, The average cost of tree removal and replacement
in the State of Illinois is approximately $1,000; this crisis
will cost the State and its villages, towns, and cities $3
billion to $4 billion over the next several years; and

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WHEREAS, Trees can be treated for a fraction of the cost of
removal and replacement; and
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois needs to update its
understanding of the science of treating EAB, as integrated
management of the EAB has evolved and improved greatly in the
past five years; and
WHEREAS, Leading academic researchers from The University
of Illinois, Michigan State University, Purdue University, and
Ohio State have found insecticide treatment methods to be
effective, and one treatment method to be more than 95%
effective at preserving ash trees; and
WHEREAS, The Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA), the
prestigious professional organization of practicing arborists,
published in May 2012 its latest findings and recommendations
on management of the emerald ash borer; the SMA paper warns
municipalities of a "financial tsunami" if they are not
proactive and develop an EAB management paper; and
WHEREAS, The SMA found that the two extremes of removing
trees and doing nothing is neither practical nor prudent;
removing trees is not financially viable for many
municipalities and does great harm to home values; doing

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nothing puts people and property at great risk as dead trees
will come crashing down in an unpredictable fashion; and
WHEREAS, The SMA found that an integrated approach that
utilizes treatment along with the removal of low-grade ash
trees is the best management option; and
WHEREAS, The International Society Arboriculture, the
premier tree care organization in the world, supports the
findings and recommendations of the SMA that advocates
conservation of the urban ash canopy as the most prudent and
practical management option; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge every village,
town, and city within the State of Illinois to reevaluate its
EAB management plan in light of the latest facts and
recommendations presented by the leading experts in Spring of
2012; specifically, municipalities should spend the little
time required to evaluate EAB management options over a 20-year
period utilizing readily available and online economic models
from either The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point or Purdue
University; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Agriculture
should publicly communicate and include on its website,

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http://www.agr.state.il.us, the 2012 EAB Management approach
and explain the financial and environmental benefits to
municipalities, citizens, and homeowners of that same
approach.