HR0544

LRB094 12639 CSA 47481 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Director Renee Cipriano is returning to the 
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private sector after almost four years of distinguished public 
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service as the director of the Illinois Environmental 
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Protection Agency (IEPA); and

 
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    WHEREAS, Director Cipriano was first appointed by Governor 
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George Ryan in August 2001 and reappointed by Governor 
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Blagojevich in January 2003; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Director Cipriano took over leadership of the 
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state agency responsible for implementation and administration 
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of all environmental laws and programs after a series of key 
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positions in environmental policy and law; she served as an 
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Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney 
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General, Environmental Control Division, from 1988 to 1992, and 
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after three years in private environmental law practice, served 
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as Associate Director and Chief Counsel of the IEPA from 1995 
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to 1997; after returning to private practice for two years, she 
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joined the administration of Governor George H. Ryan as Senior 
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Advisor for Environment and Natural Resources, where she was 
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charged with overseeing legislative and policy development in 
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several state agencies, as well as liaison to numerous 
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constituent groups; she also headed the Governor's Environment 
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and Natural Resources Cabinet and the Balanced Growth Cabinet; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Recently, Director Cipriano was appointed by 
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Governor Blagojevich to serve on a Special Task Force on the 
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Condition and Future of the Illinois Energy Infrastructure; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Under her leadership, the IEPA has launched 
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several initiatives to reach out to citizens, industry, local 
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governments, and advocacy groups in improving the State's 
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environment; they include a major initiative to reduce mercury; 
 


 






HR0544
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LRB094 12639 CSA 47481 r




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"green chemistry" and hazardous waste collections from schools 
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and other educational outreach programs; encouraging renewable 
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energy and clean coal technology; the nationally-recognized 
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"Green Pays on Green Days" citizen awareness campaign to reduce 
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sources of air pollution; new watershed management approaches; 
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an Environmental Justice Policy; and creative and innovative 
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renewal of regulatory, enforcement, and compliance programs; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Director Cipriano is a graduate of Loyola 
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University in Chicago and its School of Law; she also serves on 
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its Council of Regents; she has lectured on environmental 
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matters to many groups, authored several articles, and served 
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in leadership capacities in several professional 
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organizations; in 2002, she was honored with the David Award 
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from the Italo-American National Union, David Society; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Director Cipriano's vast knowledge of 
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environmental law and programs, excellent people skills, and 
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sensitivity to both protecting the environment and encouraging 
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economic development has served the people of Illinois well; 
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therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we thank IEPA Director Renee Cipriano for her years of 
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distinguished public service to the people of Illinois and wish 
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her all the best in her future endeavors; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Director Renee Cipriano as an expression of our 
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utmost respect and esteem.