Full Text of HR0172 102nd General Assembly
HR0172 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Rapid land development in Illinois has led to the | 3 | | loss of forestlands, farmlands, wildlife habitats, | 4 | | biodiversity, outstanding natural areas, beaches, and public | 5 | | areas for outdoor recreation; this has impacted the health of | 6 | | the State's lakes, streams, rivers, and wetlands, all of which | 7 | | impacts the quality of life of the State's current and future | 8 | | citizens; this land development may jeopardize the well-being | 9 | | of the State's environment and economy if not addressed | 10 | | appropriately; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, This same rapid land development has also led to | 12 | | the loss of historical and archaeological sites that embody | 13 | | the heritage of the State; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, This incredible loss of natural land is occurring | 15 | | across the United States and around the world; and
| 16 | | WHEREAS, Scientists have documented this rapid loss of | 17 | | natural area and wildlife, including the loss of 1,500,000 | 18 | | acres of natural area in the United States per year, the loss | 19 | | of 2,900,000,000, or twenty-nine percent, of North American | 20 | | birds since 1970, threats to approximately 12,000 plant and | 21 | | animal species in the United States, all of which are in need | 22 | | of proactive conservation efforts, and the loss of one-half of |
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| 1 | | freshwater and saltwater wetlands in the contiguous | 2 | | forty-eight states; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Scientists have recommended conserving and | 4 | | protecting thirty percent of the land and thirty percent of | 5 | | the ocean in each country by 2030 in order to address this | 6 | | deterioration of natural systems, loss of biodiversity, and | 7 | | rapid land development; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, In order to support national efforts and provide | 9 | | state leadership to address the deterioration of natural | 10 | | systems, loss of biodiversity, and rapid land development, | 11 | | Illinois must establish a bold goal for the amount of land to | 12 | | be protected by the year 2030; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Building upon the legislative work of previous | 14 | | students from Pontiac Township High School, Lemont High | 15 | | School, and Whitney Young High School, Emilie Collins and | 16 | | Keagan Hall of Pontiac Township High School in Pontiac and | 17 | | Emilee Bencivenga of the Department of Defense Dependents | 18 | | Ramstein American High School in Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany | 19 | | knew something needed to be done and created a piece of | 20 | | legislation that amends the Illinois Natural Areas | 21 | | Preservation Act and creates the Illinois Thirty-By-Thirty | 22 | | Conservation Task Force; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, That task force shall review and make | 2 | | recommendations to the General Assembly regarding conservation | 3 | | of Illinois land and implementation of strategies to conserve | 4 | | and protect 30 percent of land in Illinois by 2030; therefore, | 5 | | be it
| 6 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 7 | | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 8 | | we commend Emilie Collins, Keagan Hall, Emilee Bencivenga, and | 9 | | all of the students involved for their work to create | 10 | | legislation to conserve the land, rivers, and lakes of | 11 | | Illinois for present and future generations to enjoy, taking | 12 | | into account a wide range of flexible and enduring | 13 | | conservation solutions that will improve access to nature for | 14 | | all people within Illinois, especially for communities that | 15 | | have historically lacked access to natural spaces; and be it | 16 | | further
| 17 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 18 | | presented to Emilie Collins, Keagan Hall, and Emilee | 19 | | Bencivenga as an expression of our esteem and respect.
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