Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB6216

Amends the Rivers, Lakes, and Streams Act. Defines "secretarial disaster area" as any portion of a county which meets severe drought intensity for 8 consecutive weeks, or any portion of a county which meets extreme drought or higher drought intensity value at any time during the growing season. Provides that whenever the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture declares a secretarial disaster area to exist, the Governor shall exercise his or her authority under Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act to provide the Department of Natural Resources the authority to regulate and permit all water use, including but not limited to riparian rights, of surface and groundwater resources within the secretarial disaster area. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall have the authority to prioritize permitted water usage based on the needs of the affected area. Permitted uses shall include but not be limited to public drinking water supply, in-stream flows, industrial uses, and navigation. Provides that the Department shall have the authority to make available all public and private water within Illinois to alleviate water supply demands within a secretarial disaster area, excluding federal reservoirs and Lake Michigan. Provides that the Department is not required to follow state procurement rules when implementing this Section within secretarial disaster areas and that all compensation shall be set by the Office of Water Resources. Provides procedural requirements concerning water use regulation under the new provisions. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.

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