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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois seeks to support development
3that enhances public safety, agriculture, and industry and
4promotes economic and environmental security for communities
5across Illinois; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Protecting and restoring floodplains helps reduce
7flooding and avoids damages in flood-prone areas; it provides
8improved habitat for fish and wildlife, improved water quality,
9groundwater recharge, and opportunities for tourism and
10recreation; it also provides more room for rivers during flood
11events, reducing pressure on structures like dams and levees;
12and
 
13    WHEREAS, Floods are the most common natural disaster in the
14State and caused $3 billion in property damage to Illinois
15residents between 2000 and 2018; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Scientific evidence demonstrates that floods are
17happening more frequently, and our current definitions of flood
18frequencies underestimate the recurrence of flood events; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Levees are built with the intention of protecting
20against recurring flood damage; although the State has
21regulations to ensure levees are designed and built as to not

 

 

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1exacerbate the potential for flooding, they can contribute to
2real and residual flood risks; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Levees, floodwalls, and other types of flood
4control infrastructure are expensive to build and maintain, and
5lack of adequate maintenance of flood control structures can
6put people and property at risk; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Non-structural and nature-based flood risk
8management options, such as floodplain restoration, can
9provide more cost-effective long-term solutions for at-risk
10communities; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Poor and marginalized communities are frequently
12concentrated in flood-prone neighborhoods or areas of high real
13or residual flood risk due to historic and/or ongoing
14discriminatory housing policies; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Illinois floodplain development regulations
16protect public safety and should be maintained; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Restoration programs that correct past
18development actions lack adequate funding to correct the
19ongoing floodplain degradation; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Mitigation and practices that reconnect rivers to

 

 

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1their floodplains do not restore the ecosystem functions, and
2the sites are frequently paved or turfed; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The ecosystem restoration programs in Illinois
4rarely reconnect rivers to their floodplains and often require
5the maintenance of levees to prohibit floods from damaging
6restoration project investments; and
 
7    WHEREAS, State agencies should consider how to integrate
8floodplain activities to promote projects and development that
9achieve co-equal benefits of flood risk reduction and ecosystem
10restoration; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
13CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Department of Natural Resources
14shall maintain existing regulations in Part 3700 of Title 17 of
15the Illinois Administrative Code that preserve the
16Department's authority to regulate levees to protective
17standards; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That the Department of Natural Resources is
19directed to:
20        (1) Conduct a comprehensive review of floodplains and
21        determine meaningful trends in how floodplain use
22        impacts public safety, marginalized and poor

 

 

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1        communities, farm economics, fish and wildlife
2        populations, natural resources, and water quality: in
3        conducting this review, the Department of Natural
4        Resources should consult with the following:
5            (a) the Illinois Emergency Management Agency;
6            (b) the Department of Agriculture;
7            (c) the Association of State Floodplain Managers;
8            (d) Environmental and conservation organizations;
9            (e) City managers and mayors;
10            (f) Organizations that represent minority
11        populations;
12            (g) Levee managers;
13            (h) the Illinois Farm Bureau; and
14            (i) Agricultural associations; and
15        (2) Make recommendations to the General Assembly as to
16        how Illinois can better integrate floodplain programs
17        to promote development and restoration activities that
18        protect public safety, especially for our most
19        vulnerable citizens, enhance the quality of the
20        natural environment of Illinois, and support
21        flood-compatible economies; and be it further
 
22    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
23delivered to the General Assembly and the Director of the
24Department of Natural Resources.