HB3514 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 09668 BDA 19734 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB3514

Introduced 2/18/2025, by Rep. Janet Yang Rohr

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 801/1-15
525 ILCS 22/20

Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act. Authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to make grants to local not-for-profit organizations for the purposes of development, management, maintenance, and study of stormwater retention ponds. Amends the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act. Provides that grants under the Act may be used as funding for the creation or maintenance of stormwater retention ponds and shoreline stabilization projects that provide habitat for native plants and animals on park district lands.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning conservation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Department of Natural Resources Act is amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows:

(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 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 years, without an executed extension.

(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 give authority to the Department to require reports from nongovernmental sources or entities.

(2) To cooperate with and support the Illinois Science 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, stormwater retention ponds, 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.

(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; 103-923, eff. 1-1-25.)

Section 10. The Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act is amended by changing Section 20 as follows:

(525 ILCS 22/20)

Sec. 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

(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 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; and .

(6) funding for the creation or maintenance of stormwater retention ponds and shoreline stabilization projects that provide habitat for native plants and animals on park district lands.

(Source: P.A. 103-923, eff. 1-1-25.)