SR0705 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0705 LRB103 36992 LAW 67107 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, "Green infrastructure" means any storm water management technique or practice employed with the primary goal of preserving, restoring, or mimicking natural hydrology; and

WHEREAS, Green infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, methods of using soil and vegetation to promote soil percolation, evapotranspiration, and filtration; and

WHEREAS, Green infrastructure includes the preservation and restoration of natural landscape features, such as forests, floodplains, headwaters, and wetlands; and

WHEREAS, Green infrastructure also includes rain gardens, permeable pavements, green roofs, infiltration planters, trees and tree boxes, and rainwater harvesting for non-potable uses, such as toilet flushing and landscape irrigation; and

WHEREAS, Urban storm water, when not properly controlled and treated, can cause pollution of the waters of the State, threaten public health, and damage property by carrying pollutants from our highways, streets, roads, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, alleys, lawns, and other surfaces of low permeability into lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds; and

WHEREAS, Development can increase storm water runoff by increasing the size and number of paved and other impervious surfaces within a watershed and decreasing the extent of vegetated and other permeable surface areas that control storm water runoff through natural infiltration and evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge; and

WHEREAS, Current urban storm water related threats to the State's water resources include pollution, increased water temperatures, flooding, groundwater depletion, loss of habitat, stream bank erosion, sewer overflows, basement backups, contaminated drinking water sources, and sedimentation of waterways; and

WHEREAS, Some studies show that preserving and expanding natural and built green infrastructure can minimize negative impacts and enhance the resilience of water infrastructure and water bodies; and

WHEREAS, There are a number of potential benefits from the use of green infrastructure, including cleaner water, enhanced water supplies, reduced flooding, cleaner air, increased energy efficiency, the mitigation and adaptation of the impacts of climate change, increased biodiversity, improved benefits for communities, better health potential for inhabitants, more green jobs, and cost savings; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare April 21 through April 27, 2024 as Green Infrastructure Week in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage individuals, businesses, and local and state governments to pursue Green Infrastructure initiatives.