Full Text of SR0214 101st General Assembly
SR0214 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The protection and restoration of wildlife | 3 | | habitat is widely supported by the public, and the most recent | 4 | | Illinois Outdoor Recreation Survey found that 84% of | 5 | | Illinoisans agree that more wildlife habitat should be | 6 | | protected and restored; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Investments in natural infrastructure provide | 8 | | multiple economic, environmental, and social benefits to | 9 | | communities that need functioning infrastructure and a healthy | 10 | | environment; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Illinois has lost more than 95% of its original | 12 | | wetlands and 99% of its original open prairie, making it | 13 | | critical to protect the remaining natural habitat; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Illinoisans' overwhelming support the role of | 15 | | parks and recreation facilities in their communities, | 16 | | especially for preserving open space and improving fitness and | 17 | | mental health; and | 18 | | WHEREAS, Outdoor recreation contributes to a healthy | 19 | | lifestyle for the State's youth and adults alike, and young | 20 | | people need more access to safe, outdoor experiences to | 21 | | counteract sedentary lifestyles and to offer alternatives to |
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| 1 | | digital entertainment; and | 2 | | WHEREAS, Economically disadvantaged communities are | 3 | | disproportionately at risk from flooding due to loss of | 4 | | permeable surfaces and are in the greatest need of open space | 5 | | projects that can absorb floodwater that would otherwise damage | 6 | | homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure; and | 7 | | WHEREAS, The quantity of water supplied by aquifers, inland | 8 | | streams, and Lake Michigan is limited, and land conservation | 9 | | and restoration provides for the protection of drinking water | 10 | | resources through water recharge and stream buffering; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, Natural habitats have been shown to improve air | 12 | | quality, and significant populations in Illinois live in areas | 13 | | failing to meet federal air quality standards; and | 14 | | WHEREAS, The Illinois State Wildlife Action Plan has won | 15 | | national recognition but remains underfunded; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, Hunting, fishing, and wildlife-associated | 17 | | recreation currently support nearly 200,000 direct jobs and | 18 | | generate $7.8 billion in wages and salaries in Illinois; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Protection and restoration of natural areas is an | 20 | | important component of state action on climate change, as |
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| 1 | | natural habitats sequester carbon through natural processes, | 2 | | and open spaces make our communities and ecosystems more | 3 | | resilient to the impacts of climate change; and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, Illinois park and forest preserve districts, land | 5 | | trusts, and other organizations and units of governments are | 6 | | challenged to fund habitat restoration, public access, trail, | 7 | | and safety improvements at public open space holdings, | 8 | | inhibiting natural resource value and public enjoyment at many | 9 | | sites; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Land acquisition, restoration, and management are | 11 | | capital-intensive investments; therefore, be it
| 12 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | 13 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize that | 14 | | current funding for open space acquisition and management is | 15 | | severely lacking, that capital budgets have traditionally | 16 | | provided resources for land acquisition, stewardship, and | 17 | | public recreational opportunities, and that the value of parks | 18 | | and natural areas in improving public health, protecting | 19 | | communities from flooding, improving air and water quality, and | 20 | | generating economic activity is without question; and be it | 21 | | further | 22 | | RESOLVED, That we urge a significant new initiative be |
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| 1 | | included in any new capital spending plan to fund the | 2 | | acquisition, restoration, and management of natural areas and | 3 | | open spaces, which would include: | 4 | | (1) A new statewide land acquisition program to protect | 5 | | the State's most precious natural resources and provide | 6 | | safe, quality outdoor non-motorized recreational | 7 | | opportunities, including matching grants to local | 8 | | governments and nonprofit land trusts and conservation | 9 | | organizations; | 10 | | (2) Implementation of the Hunting Heritage Protection | 11 | | Act by increasing the amount of land acreage available for | 12 | | hunting opportunities in Illinois; and | 13 | | (3) Funding for capital improvements to state parks and | 14 | | conservation lands that are consistent with natural | 15 | | heritage protection and non-motorized recreation; and be | 16 | | it further
| 17 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 18 | | delivered to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the | 19 | | Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the President | 20 | | of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Director | 21 | | of Natural Resources, and the Governor.
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