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Full Text of SB3471  102nd General Assembly

SB3471 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  

 


 
102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB3471

 

Introduced 1/19/2022, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
30 ILCS 105/6z-32

    Creates the Partners for Nutrient Loss Reduction Act. Creates the Illinois Healthy Soils and Watersheds Initiative. Provides for the adoption of guidelines and needs assessments to assist soil and water conservation districts in determining local goals and needs for project implementation to accomplish goals of the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Provides for soil and water conservation districts to develop goals and needs assessment. Provides for the update of water quality program guidance. Requires the production of an Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Report every 2 years. Defines terms. Extends the Partners for Conservation Fund through 2032. Effective immediately.


LRB102 24985 NLB 34241 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB3471LRB102 24985 NLB 34241 b

1    AN ACT concerning agriculture.
 
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
5Partners for Nutrient Loss Reduction Act.
 
6    Section 5. Findings. The State recognizes that the
7Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) declares the
8scale and pace of adoption of conservation and nutrient
9management practices needs to accelerate in order to reduce
10nutrient losses, improve and protect soil health, and achieve
11water quality goals. The increases in precipitation and stream
12flows indicated in the most recent biennial report of the
13NLRS, "2021 Biennial Report", show the increasing challenge
14that climate change presents in meeting nutrient loss
15reduction targets. Poor soil infiltration rates and increased
16intensity and duration of precipitation is having negative
17impacts on erosion, flooding, stormwater, soil health, and
18water security for residents throughout the State. These
19factors threaten the resilience of Illinois communities, the
20economy, and the environment. Therefore, the State of Illinois
21must adopt processes and procedures to enhance and guide the
22implementation of the NLRS to respond to emerging challenges
23and protect the natural resources of the State.
 

 

 

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1    Section 10. Declaration of policy. The General Assembly
2finds and declares that:
3        (1) The agricultural industry represents one of
4    Illinois the largest economic sectors, and the soil and
5    water resources of the State constitute one of Illinois'
6    basic and essential assets that contribute to the economic
7    health and well-being of the State and its residents;
8        (2) The preservation of soil and water resources
9    requires planning and programs to ensure:
10            (A) the sustainable management and productivity of
11        soil and water resources;
12            (B) the resilience of our soil and water resources
13        from the effects of climate change and extreme weather
14        events;
15            (C) equity in access to farming and food
16        production.
17        (3) Sustainable agriculture is critical to:
18            (A) the success of rural communities;
19            (B) the cultural diversity of the State;
20            (C) maintaining healthy farmland for future
21        generations of Illinois farmers;
22            (D) improving water quality;
23            (E) safeguarding biological diversity, especially
24        key species like pollinators;
25            (F) maintaining high-quality recreation

 

 

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1        opportunities; and
2            (G) helping to sustain the State economy.
3        (4) It is essential to reduce the amount of nutrients
4    flowing into our watersheds by implementing strategies and
5    policies that:
6            (A) promote efficient use of nutrients and
7        sequester nitrogen and phosphorus within our soil to
8        improve environmental health within Illinois,
9        surrounding states, and the Gulf of Mexico;
10            (B) protect and improve soil health and water
11        quality for future generations;
12            (C) protect groundwater used as drinking water,
13        especially for rural residents dependent on well
14        water;
15            (D) ensure Illinois' waterways make progress
16        toward being swimmable, fishable and drinkable;
17            (E) ensure that municipalities are well-equipped
18        to implement nutrient management practices as it
19        relates to wastewater treatment, stormwater management
20        and drainage;
21            (F) promote partnerships and collaboration among
22        stakeholders; and
23            (G) use all available funding, whether it be from
24        public or private resources, to assist in achieving
25        the goals within this Act.
 

 

 

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1    Section 15. Definitions. As used in this Act:
2    "Department" means the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
3    "Districts" mean soil and water conservation districts.
4    "Healthy soils practices" means systems of agricultural,
5forestry and land management practices that:
6        (1) improve the health of soils, including, but not
7    limited to, consideration of depth of topsoil horizons,
8    water infiltration rate, water-holding capacity, organic
9    matter content, biologically accessible nutrient content,
10    bulk density, biological activity, and biological and
11    microbiological diversity;
12        (2) follow the principles of: minimizing soil
13    disturbance and external inputs; keeping soil covered;
14    maximizing biodiversity; diversifying crop rotations;
15    maximizing presence of living roots; integrating animals
16    into land management, including grazing animals, birds,
17    beneficial insects, or keystone species, such as
18    earthworms; and incorporating the context of local
19    conditions in decision-making, including, for example,
20    soil type, topography, and time of year; and
21        (3) include such practices as conservation tillage or
22    no-till, cover-cropping, perennialization of highly
23    erodible land, precision nitrogen and phosphorus
24    application, managed grazing, integrated crop-livestock
25    systems, silvopasture, agroforestry, perennial crops,
26    integrated pest management, nutrient best management

 

 

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1    practices, and those practices recommended by the United
2    States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources
3    Conservation Service Field Office Technical Guide.
4    "Initiative" means the Illinois Healthy Soils and
5Watersheds Initiative.
6    "Soil health" means the continuing capacity of a soil to
7function as a vital, living biological system that sustains
8plants, animals, and humans, increases soil organic matter,
9improves soil structure and water-and nutrient-holding
10capacity and nutrient cycling, enhances water infiltration and
11filtration capability, promotes water quality, and results in
12net long-term ecological benefits; healthy soils host a
13diversity of beneficial organisms, grow vigorous crops,
14enhance agricultural resilience, including the ability of
15crops and livestock to tolerate and recover from drought,
16temperature extremes, extreme precipitation events, pests,
17diseases, and other stresses, break down harmful chemicals,
18and help convert organic residues into stable soil organic
19matter and retaining nutrients, especially nitrogen and
20phosphorus.
21    "Soil health assessment" means a suite of
22soil-health-indicator measures, including, but not limited to:
23soil organic matter, soil structure, infiltration and bulk
24density, water-holding capacity, microbial biomass, and soil
25respiration.
26    "Watershed health" means the continued capacity of a

 

 

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1surface and groundwater ecosystem to function as a vital
2living ecosystem that is resilient to drought and storm events
3and that sustains humans, plants, and animals; healthy
4watersheds provide public and private benefits, including, but
5not limited to, improved water cycle, water quality, drinking
6water security, recreation and tourism, stormwater management,
7flood mitigation, habitat resilience, and crop risk.
 
8    Section 20. Illinois Healthy Soils and Watersheds
9Initiative. The Illinois Healthy Soils and Watersheds
10Initiative is created. It is the purpose of the Initiative to
11improve the health of soils and the function of watersheds
12through efforts that support the implementation of the NLRS,
13reduce nutrient loss, improve soil and water quality, protect
14drinking water, increase the resilience of ecosystems to
15extreme weather events, protect and improve agricultural
16productivity, and support aquatic and wildlife habitat.
17    The Illinois Healthy Soils and Watersheds Initiative shall
18be administered by the Director of Agriculture with
19consultation from the soil and water conservation districts,
20the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and the
21University of Illinois Extension Program. The Department shall
22create guidelines and guidance to assist the soil and water
23conservation districts in developing goals and needs
24assessments in order to identify desired capacity and funding
25levels and establish regular, measurable, cost-effective and

 

 

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1technically achievable goals to advance strategies that
2improve healthy soils and watersheds and reduce nutrient loss.
3These assessments shall be used to identify opportunities to
4access and leverage financial and technical assistance from
5local, State, federal, and private sources and to guide
6resources to their best potential use.
7    The Initiative shall complement and improve coordination
8of existing resources and processes, such as those underway
9through the NLRS, the erosion and sediment control program,
10those described by Section 6z-32 of the State Finance Act, and
11shall not replace existing, local, State, private, or federal
12funding or technical assistance programs.
13    The Department shall report on progress of the Initiative
14as a component of biennial reporting for the Illinois Nutrient
15Loss Reduction Strategy described in this Act.
16    The Initiative shall promote voluntary and incentive-based
17conservation efforts. No part of this Act shall be used to
18impose mandates or require practice adoption.
 
19    Section 25. Guidelines for goals and needs assessment. The
20Department shall adopt and revise guidelines to assist soil
21and water conservation districts in determining local goals
22and needs for implementing soil health and watershed
23conservation projects consistent with the Nutrient Loss
24Reduction Strategy.
25    Before adopting or revising any guidelines, the Department

 

 

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1shall hold a minimum of 2 public hearings with respect
2thereto. At least 30 days' notice of the hearings shall be
3given by the Department in such a manner as the Department
4considers best suited to obtain input from soil and water
5conservation districts and all other persons interested in the
6proposed guidelines or revisions. Like notice shall be given
7by the Department to any person who has filed a request to be
8provided notice of such hearings. Copies of the proposed
9guidelines or revisions shall be made available to all those
10receiving notice of the hearing and to any other person, upon
11request.
12    In developing its guidelines to assist soil and water
13conservation districts in determining local goals and needs
14for project implementation to accomplish the goals of the
15Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, the Department shall
16consider:
17        (1) the relevant physical and geological features of
18    individual watersheds and drainage basins of the State,
19    including, but not limited to, data relating to land use
20    and land use activities, soil type, hydrology, geology,
21    waterbody characteristics, stream buffers, and built
22    infrastructure;
23        (2) estimates of each district's nutrient loss based
24    on the nitrogen and phosphorus HUC8 watershed loads
25    described in the NLRS science assessment. When a district
26    is in more than one watershed, their nutrient contribution

 

 

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1    can be calculated using a weighted average based on how
2    much of their county is in each watershed;
3        (3) watershed-scale information about current and
4    future climate projections and expected impacts from
5    climate change in regard to streamflow, soil health, and
6    other factors that would exasperate nutrient loss as well
7    as increase additional risks related to flooding, water
8    quality impairments and other impacts to ecosystem
9    function and biological diversity;
10        (4) previously established goals and deadlines within
11    local watershed-based plans, total maximum daily load
12    allocation plans, water quality implementation plans,
13    stormwater plans, soil health plans, or nutrient
14    assessment and reduction plans;
15        (5) county and State levels of conservation practice
16    adoption, consistent with the NLRS-approved practices list
17    determined by the NLRS science committee. Guidance should
18    also be provided to districts to meet USDA Natural
19    Resource Conservation Service determined conservation
20    practice standards;
21        (6) information regarding beginning, socially
22    disadvantaged, and veteran farmers and ranchers, as well
23    as disadvantaged communities;
24        (7) surveys of lands and waters, land ownership, and
25    public lands as the Department considers appropriate; and
26        (8) availability of State, federal, and private

 

 

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1    financial and technical assistance programs to soil and
2    water conservation districts, local governments, and
3    conservation partners to implement NLRS projects.
4    The guidelines shall be reviewed and updated by the
5Department every 4 years, coinciding with every other biennial
6report of the NLRS and following the process regarding public
7meetings and disclosure listed in this Section.
8    The Department shall collaborate with the Illinois
9Environmental Protection Agency and may collaborate with other
10partners such as the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
11and University of Illinois Extension to prepare the
12guidelines.
13    The information collected through the development of the
14guidelines shall be summarized and provided to the soil and
15water conservation districts to inform the development of
16local goals and needs assessments. The Department shall make
17reasonable efforts to provide as much of this information as
18possible as a publicly available county-level geospatial
19database.
20    Initial guidelines shall be completed and provided to soil
21and water conservation districts by January 31, 2023.
 
22    Section 30. Local goals and needs assessment. Upon the
23adoption of guidelines described in Section 25, each soil and
24water conservation district shall develop its own goals and
25needs assessment to guide implementation of the NLRS. The

 

 

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1goals and needs assessment shall be technically feasible,
2economically reasonable, and consistent with the Nutrient Loss
3Reduction Strategy.
4    The Department shall provide a template to the districts
5for the local goals and needs assessment including the
6required information listed in this Section as well as
7information regarding available data and support materials
8collected as the guidance information listed in Section 25.
9    Each district is encouraged to collaborate with other
10local governmental entities and local stakeholders in
11developing and implementing its goals and needs assessment. To
12assist in developing its goals and needs assessment, each
13district shall use the guidelines provided by the Department
14and name an advisory committee. The advisory committee shall
15include representatives from a wide variety of interests, such
16as agriculture, business, local government, water utilities,
17conservation organizations, environmental organizations, and
18recreation. The advisory committee may be identified within an
19existing process, including, but not limited to, the erosion
20and sediment control program, watershed planning group, or
21land use council.
22    Upon the request of a district, the Department shall
23assist in the preparation of the district's goals and needs
24assessment. Districts may also work collaboratively to
25establish joint plans to leverage existing capacity and
26resources most effectively.

 

 

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1    To carry out its assessment, a district shall identify
2conservation activities consistent with the NLRS-approved
3practices for various types of soils and land uses. The
4assessment shall include planned activities for maximizing the
5benefit of conservation activities to reduce nutrient losses,
6promote soil and watershed health, and support the viability
7of the agricultural sector.
8    The goals and needs assessment must consider opportunities
9to access, leverage, and use State, federal, and private
10resources within a specific soil and water conservation
11district service area.
12    Soil and water conservation districts may also convene
13producer-led dialogues to identify special initiatives or
14pilot projects to leverage additional resources and implement
15projects at scale across multiple operations and land
16ownerships. These efforts should seek to leverage funding and
17resources from local, State, federal, and private entities.
18These efforts may be coordinated with research and pilot
19projects directed by the Nutrient Research and Education
20Council.
21    In developing a goals and needs assessment, the soil and
22water conservation district shall:
23        (1) evaluate existing assets such as current
24    practices, current cropping systems, crop processing and
25    market infrastructure, riparian buffers, wetlands, public
26    lands, funding, education, research and peer-to-peer

 

 

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1    training opportunities, and existing partnerships;
2        (2) consider the eligible funding categories available
3    through the Partners for Conservation Fund and their
4    ability to advance the healthy soils practices consistent
5    with soil health principles and the NLRS-approved
6    practices list within a soil and water conservation
7    district service area;
8        (3) determine vulnerabilities such as runoff risk,
9    riparian function, stormwater, floodplains and stream
10    impairments, and observed and predicted impacts from
11    climate change, especially to socially disadvantaged
12    farmers, ranchers, and communities;
13        (4) consult existing plans and priorities established
14    by municipal and local governments, wastewater treatment
15    facilities and private sector partners;
16        (5) identify opportunities to conduct outreach to
17    agricultural producers and landowners and to develop
18    individual soil health plans as well as other
19    beneficiaries of nutrient loss reduction efforts;
20        (6) establish goals for achieving measurable outcomes
21    for nutrient loss reduction, soil and watershed health and
22    farmer viability. This includes identifying opportunities
23    to support beginning, socially disadvantaged and veteran
24    farmers as well as small and mid-scale farmers;
25        (7) estimate 2-year funding levels needed from State,
26    federal and private sources in order to achieve goals; and

 

 

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1        (8) identify opportunities to develop partnerships and
2    leverage resources from local governments and utilities,
3    State and federal agencies and private entities.
4    The goals and needs assessment shall be updated every 2
5years to coincide with each biennial report of the NLRS.
6Before adopting or revising the goals and needs assessment,
7the district shall, after giving due notice, conduct at least
8one public hearing on the proposed changes.
9    The goals and needs assessment shall be made available for
10public inspection at the principal office of the district and
11shall be provided to any person upon request.
12    The goals and needs assessment shall be drafted and
13submitted alongside the district's long-term range plan and be
14used to guide its annual plan of work submitted to the
15Department. The Department shall identify shared goals and
16priorities between districts and shall assist in developing
17partnerships and shared funding approaches to maximize
18capacity and resources. This may include, but is not limited
19to, supporting the development of applications to the USDA's
20Regional Conservation Partnership Program and Conservation
21Innovation Grant Programs.
22    Upon its adoption, the district shall submit its goals and
23needs assessment to the Department for review and approval. If
24a district fails to complete a goals and needs assessment and
25to submit it to the Department by the time specified in this
26Section, the Department shall, after such hearings or

 

 

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1consultations with the various local interests in the district
2as it considers appropriate, develop an appropriate goals and
3needs assessment to be carried out by the district. In
4assessing the goals and needs assessments, the Department
5shall consider whether, taken together, the implementation of
6the assessments by each district is sufficient to make
7progress toward the interim and long-term nutrient loss
8reduction goals included in the NLRS.
9    Initial goals and needs assessments shall be submitted to
10the Department by November 1, 2023.
 
11    Section 35. Compliance and standards; cost sharing. To be
12eligible to receive State cost-share support after January 1,
132024, soil and water conservation districts shall have an
14updated goals and needs assessment.
15    The Department shall update its rules and procedures for
16cost-share funding to be inclusive of all relevant
17NLRS-approved practices promoting the rapid adoption of
18cost-effective and technically feasible projects. Updates to
19the rules and procedures shall also address barriers to access
20experienced by beginning, socially disadvantaged, and veteran
21farmers.
22    The Department may require results-based practices,
23consistent with the NLRS-approved practice list, or the
24assessment of the environmental outcomes of projects, at the
25field or county level, as a condition of funding.
 

 

 

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1    Section 40. Availability of appropriated funds. The
2requirements and deadlines for local goals and needs
3assessments are contingent on the availability of appropriated
4funds. The Director of Agriculture, in consultation with the
5soil and water conservation districts, may make adjustments to
6the deadlines or the requirements of the goals and needs
7assessments, on a case-by-case basis for individual districts,
8if those factors are found to be unnecessary or unreasonable
9given available funding resources and capacity constraints.
10    A report of these funding and capacity constraints must be
11provided to the General Assembly and the NLRS Policy Working
12Group for review by January 1st of the following year.
 
13    Section 45. State water quality program guidance. The
14Illinois Environmental Protection Agency shall update water
15quality program guidance for the nonpoint source management
16program by June 30, 2023. This update shall include, but is not
17limited to, incorporating the findings of the NLRS into
18program guidance and evaluation of adaptive management
19opportunities in response to risk to the State's water
20resources presented by climate change and shall consider
21strategies that address barriers to access to funding and
22technical assistance programs by socially disadvantaged
23communities.
24    Updates to the nonpoint source management program shall

 

 

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1also consider opportunities to develop a sponsorship lending
2program within the water revolving fund to promote
3collaboration within priority watersheds and promote
4coordination between traditional gray and green infrastructure
5improvements such as land acquisition and ecosystem
6restoration, especially in regard to directing resources to
7socially disadvantaged communities.
 
8    Section 50. NLRS alignment for State owned and leased
9agricultural lands. State agencies, including, but not limited
10to, the Department of Natural Resources, Department of
11Agriculture, Department of Transportation, and Illinois State
12Universities, shall evaluate existing soil health practices on
13agricultural lands that are owned and managed by the State, or
14leased to a third party, and update management plans,
15contracts, or other resources to support the rapid adoption of
16cost-effective and technically feasible practices identified
17within the NLRS-approved practice list.
 
18    Section 55. Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy
19Report. Every 2 years, beginning in 2023, the Department of
20Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Natural
21Resources, the University of Illinois Extension Program, and
22the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, shall produce a
23Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Report that shall inform the
24agencies and lawmakers of the current state of nutrient loss

 

 

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1within Illinois, progress toward achieving nutrient loss
2reduction targets as outlined in the NLRS, and make
3recommendations for accelerating the implementation of
4practices that would reduce overall nutrient loads into the
5waters of this State. The report shall include, but is not
6limited to, the following information:
7        (1) An executive summary outlining the findings and
8    recommendations of the report.
9        (2) A scientific assessment of the total nutrient
10    loads for phosphorus and nitrogen and load reduction
11    scenarios for both point sources and nonpoint sources.
12        (3) An assessment of the impacts and risks from
13    climate change and extreme weather for advancing the goals
14    of the strategy as well as opportunities for adaptive
15    management.
16        (4) Identification of priority watersheds and
17    potential impacts from nutrient loss to disadvantaged
18    communities, including impacts to drinking water systems
19    and costs to community services.
20        (5) A list of approved practices for reducing nutrient
21    loss such as natural infrastructure projects such as
22    wetland restoration, riparian buffer zones, and
23    reforestation.
24        (6) A summary of guidelines for determining local
25    goals and needs for advancing NLRS priorities.
26        (7) A summary of local goals and needs provided by the

 

 

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1    soil and water conservation districts.
2        (8) A summary of activities by local governments,
3    utilities, and waste management facilities to implement
4    nutrient management practices as it relates to wastewater
5    treatment, stormwater management, and drainage.
6        (9) Opportunities to improve collaboration among
7    State, federal, and private stakeholders.
8        (10) Policy and funding recommendations to advance
9    goals and priorities sufficient to achieve the interim
10    goal of reducing loads of nitrate-nitrogen by 15% and
11    total phosphorus by 25% by 2025 and the long-term goal of
12    reducing loads from Illinois for total phosphorus and
13    total nitrogen each by 45%.
 
14    Section 60. Report delivery. The Department of Agriculture
15shall submit copies of completed reports to the Governor, the
16President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House. In
17addition, copies shall be submitted to the House Agriculture &
18Conservation Committee, the House Energy & Environment
19Committee, the Senate Agriculture Committee, and the Senate
20Environment and Conservation Committee.
 
21    Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by changing
22Section 6z-32 as follows:
 
23    (30 ILCS 105/6z-32)

 

 

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1    Sec. 6z-32. Partners for Planning and Conservation.
2    (a) The Partners for Conservation Fund (formerly known as
3the Conservation 2000 Fund) and the Partners for Conservation
4Projects Fund (formerly known as the Conservation 2000
5Projects Fund) are created as special funds in the State
6Treasury. These funds shall be used to establish a
7comprehensive program to protect Illinois' natural resources
8through cooperative partnerships between State government and
9public and private landowners. Moneys in these Funds may be
10used, subject to appropriation, by the Department of Natural
11Resources, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department
12of Agriculture for purposes relating to natural resource
13protection, planning, recreation, tourism, and compatible
14agricultural and economic development activities. Without
15limiting these general purposes, moneys in these Funds may be
16used, subject to appropriation, for the following specific
17purposes:
18        (1) To foster sustainable agriculture practices and
19    control soil erosion, sedimentation, and nutrient loss
20    from farmland, including grants to Soil and Water
21    Conservation Districts for conservation practice
22    cost-share grants and for personnel, educational, and
23    administrative expenses.
24        (2) To establish and protect a system of ecosystems in
25    public and private ownership through conservation
26    easements, incentives to public and private landowners,

 

 

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1    natural resource restoration and preservation, water
2    quality protection and improvement, land use and watershed
3    planning, technical assistance and grants, and land
4    acquisition provided these mechanisms are all voluntary on
5    the part of the landowner and do not involve the use of
6    eminent domain.
7        (3) To develop a systematic and long-term program to
8    effectively measure and monitor natural resources and
9    ecological conditions through investments in technology
10    and involvement of scientific experts.
11        (4) To initiate strategies to enhance, use, and
12    maintain Illinois' inland lakes through education,
13    technical assistance, research, and financial incentives.
14        (5) To partner with private landowners and with units
15    of State, federal, and local government and with
16    not-for-profit organizations in order to integrate State
17    and federal programs with Illinois' natural resource
18    protection and restoration efforts and to meet
19    requirements to obtain federal and other funds for
20    conservation or protection of natural resources.
21        (6) To implement the State's Nutrient Loss Reduction
22    Strategy (NLRS), including, but not limited to, funding
23    the resources needed to support the Strategy's Policy
24    Working Group, cover water quality monitoring in support
25    of Strategy implementation, prepare a biennial report on
26    the progress made on the Strategy every 2 years, and

 

 

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1    provide cost-share cost share funding for nutrient capture
2    projects.
3        (7) To develop guidelines and local goals and needs
4    assessments for advancing the goals of the Illinois
5    Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy and protecting soil and
6    watershed health.
7        (8) To implement a crop insurance premium discount
8    program for practices that improve soil health.
9        (9) To incorporate climate science into NLRS science
10    assessment, planning, and scenario development to assess
11    where climate resilience planning may support conservation
12    goals and protect conservation gains in order to safeguard
13    soil health, water quality, and the long-term resilience
14    of the agricultural sector while reducing susceptibility
15    to flooding and other extreme weather events. This effort
16    includes collaboration with the Illinois State
17    Climatologist and may also include the Federal Emergency
18    Management Agency, the USDA climate initiatives, the
19    Department of the Interior, the Department of Defense, the
20    Army Corps of Engineers, and other agencies.
21        (10) For capacity grants to support soil and water
22    conservation districts, including, but not limited to,
23    developing soil health plans and conducting soil health
24    assessments, peer-to-peer training, convening
25    producer-led dialogues, professional development,
26    training, travel stipends for meetings and educational

 

 

SB3471- 23 -LRB102 24985 NLB 34241 b

1    events, and developing pilot projects within priority
2    watersheds.
3        (11) For the Department of Agriculture, Illinois
4    Environmental Protection Agency, and University of
5    Illinois Extension to engage the Serve Illinois Commission
6    and the Corporation for National and Community Service to
7    develop a Healthy Soils and Watersheds AmeriCorps program
8    in support of soil and water conservation districts and
9    local governments. This includes the recruitment,
10    interview, and selection of members in a nonpartisan,
11    nonpolitical and nondiscriminatory manner consistent with
12    applicable federal and State statutes. Members shall
13    support efforts to enhance local planning and capacity to
14    achieve NLRS goals and improve the delivery of State and
15    federal conservation programs.
16    (b) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall
17automatically transfer on the last day of each month,
18beginning on September 30, 1995 and ending on June 30, 2032
192022, from the General Revenue Fund to the Partners for
20Conservation Fund, an amount equal to 1/10 of the amount set
21forth below in fiscal year 1996 and an amount equal to 1/12 of
22the amount set forth below in each of the other specified
23fiscal years:
24Fiscal Year Amount
251996$ 3,500,000
261997$ 9,000,000

 

 

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11998$10,000,000
21999$11,000,000
32000$12,500,000
42001 through 2004$14,000,000
52005 $7,000,000
62006 $11,000,000
72007 $0
82008 through 2011 $14,000,000
92012 $12,200,000
102013 through 2017 $14,000,000
112018 $1,500,000
122019 $14,000,000
132020 $7,500,000
142021 through 2022 $14,000,000
152022 $18,135,000
162023 $19,900,000
172024 $23,025,000
182025 $25,665,000
192026 $25,680,000
202027 through 2032 $25,695,000
21    (c) The State Comptroller and State Treasurer shall
22automatically transfer on the last day of each month beginning
23on July 31, 2021 and ending June 30, 2022, from the
24Environmental Protection Permit and Inspection Fund to the
25Partners for Conservation Fund, an amount equal to 1/12 of
26$4,135,000.

 

 

SB3471- 25 -LRB102 24985 NLB 34241 b

1    (d) There shall be deposited into the Partners for
2Conservation Projects Fund such bond proceeds and other moneys
3as may, from time to time, be provided by law.
4    (e) The Partners for Conservation Fund is eligible to
5receive grants, gifts, and awards from any public or private
6entity for the purpose of expanding financial and technical
7assistance in order to advance nutrient loss reduction efforts
8within priority watersheds.
9(Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19; 102-16, eff. 6-17-21.)
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11becoming law.