98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
SB3000

 

Introduced 2/7/2014, by Sen. Daniel Biss

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
30 ILCS 105/5.855 new

    Creates the Natural Resource Restoration Trust Fund Act. Creates the Illinois Natural Resource Restoration Trust Fund in the State Treasury to receive deposits of moneys available from or intended for the investigation, assessment, restoration, or replacement of injured or damaged natural resources resulting from claims pursued under the laws of the United States, this State, or other statutory or common law. Authorizes the use of the Fund by the Department of Natural Resources for specified purposes. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Natural Resource Restoration Trust Fund. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB3000LRB098 17577 MGM 52687 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Natural Resource Restoration Trust Fund Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
7    "Department" means the Department of Natural Resources.
8    "Director" means the Director of Natural Resources.
9    "Fund" means the Illinois Natural Resource Restoration
10Trust Fund created in Section 10 of this Act.
 
11    Section 10. The Natural Resource Restoration Trust Fund.
12    (a) There is hereby created in the State Treasury the
13Illinois Natural Resource Restoration Trust Fund to receive
14deposits of moneys available from or intended for the
15investigation, assessment, restoration, or replacement of
16injured or damaged natural resources resulting from claims
17pursued under the laws of the United States, this State, or
18other statutory or common law. The fund may receive deposits of
19moneys made available from any other source. All moneys in the
20fund are to be invested and reinvested by the State Treasurer.
21All interest accruing from these investments shall be deposited
22in the fund. Moneys received through settlement or litigation

 

 

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1of claims for injured natural resources and directed at the
2restoration, rehabilitation, replacement, or the acquisition
3of the equivalent of injured natural resources and the benefits
4they provide, shall be available for those uses until the funds
5are expended. Moneys deposited in the fund may be invested in
6securities constituting direct obligations of the United
7States Government, obligations the principal of and interest on
8which are guaranteed by the United States Government, or in
9certificates of deposit of any State or national bank that are
10fully secured by obligations guaranteed by the United States
11Government.
12    (b) All moneys deposited into the fund shall be used by the
13Department of Natural Resources to:
14        (1) Take necessary or appropriate action to
15    investigate and assess the nature and extent of injuries or
16    damage to Illinois natural resources and the benefits they
17    provide.
18        (2) Take necessary or appropriate action to restore,
19    rehabilitate, replace, or acquire the equivalent of
20    injured or damaged natural resources and the benefits they
21    provide.
22        (3) Meet any requirements which must be met by the
23    State in order to obtain federal funds, or any other funds,
24    to address injury or damage to natural resources.
25        (4) Pay for the cost of Department personnel,
26    contractual, professional, or technical services to review

 

 

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1    or perform natural resource injury or damage assessments,
2    natural resource restoration or replacement actions,
3    environmental or ecological risk assessments,
4    environmental impact assessment actions, or other
5    activities related to environmental contamination of real
6    property.
7        (5) Administer the provisions of this Section.
8    (c) The General Assembly shall annually appropriate to the
9fund such amounts as it deems necessary to fulfill the purposes
10of this Section.
11    (d) The Department may accept, receive, and administer on
12behalf of the State any moneys made available to the State from
13any source for the purposes set forth in this Section. These
14moneys may be in addition to any other funds otherwise
15appropriated to the Department for similar purposes. Interest
16or income earned on moneys deposited into the fund shall be
17retained in the fund to be used by the Department pursuant to
18the provisions of this Section.
 
19    Section 900. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
20Section 5.855 as follows:
 
21    (30 ILCS 105/5.855 new)
22    Sec. 5.855. The Natural Resource Restoration Trust Fund.
 
23    Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
24becoming law.