Section 4020.130  Definitions

As used in this Part, the following terms have the meanings indicated, except where context requires otherwise:

"Act" means the Illinois Natural Area Preservation Act [525 ILCS 30].

"Board" means the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board created by Section 6 of the Illinois Endangered Species Protect Act [520 ILCS 10/6].

"Commission" means the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission created by Section 4 of the Act.

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

"Element Occurrence" means an area of land and/or water in which a species is, or was, reported to be present or means a local population.

"Licensee" means any person licensed to use natural heritage data subject to the terms of a Data Licensing Agreement.

"Natural Areas Acquisition Fund" means the Illinois Natural Areas Acquisition Fund established in Section 14 of the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act [525 ILCS 35/14].  The fund is used by the Department for the acquisition, preservation and stewardship of natural areas, including habitats for endangered and threatened species, high quality natural communities, wetlands, and other areas with unique or unusual natural heritage qualities.

"Natural Heritage Data", "Natural Heritage Database" or "Data" means recorded information on the biology, existence and locations of threatened and endangered species and other species; protective status of these species; inventories of natural features, including, but not limited to, the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory sites and the resources that allow a site to qualify; and means data collected pursuant to 17 Ill. Adm. Code 4010 (Register of Land and Water Reserves).  Natural heritage data is owned by the State of Illinois and compiled and maintained by the Department's Natural Heritage Database Program as a service to assist, and in cooperation with, the Commission and the Board.  Access to natural heritage data shall be in the form of spatial data, reports or custom data formats subject to Natural Heritage Database Program approval.

"Natural Heritage Database Program" or "NHD Program" means the program within the Department responsible for maintaining the natural heritage data.

"Quadrangle" means one of 1,071 U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000-scale topographic maps covering the State of Illinois, also known as 7.5-minute quadrangles.

"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, organization, association, government entity or agency, or body politic.

"T&E Species" or "Threatened and Endangered Species" means any species or subspecies listed by the Board pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act.