Full Text of SJR0052 95th General Assembly
SJ0052 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, Illinois ranks in the bottom third of states in | 3 |
| the U.S. in the acquisition of land for parks, recreation and | 4 |
| habitat; and
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| WHEREAS, Illinois ranks last by a wide margin among | 6 |
| Midwestern states in acres protected per capita with only one | 7 |
| percent of protected state-owned recreation land; and
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| WHEREAS, Land prices continue to rise and development | 9 |
| pressures mount making the need for protecting open space more | 10 |
| acute; and
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| WHEREAS, The quantity of water supplied by aquifers, inland | 12 |
| streams, and Lake Michigan is limited and land conservation | 13 |
| provides water recharge and stream buffering providing for the | 14 |
| protection of drinking water resources; and
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| WHEREAS, Outdoor recreation contributes to a healthy | 16 |
| lifestyle for the State's youth and adults alike, and young | 17 |
| people need more access to safe, rewarding outdoor experiences | 18 |
| to combat the growing epidemic of childhood obesity; and
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| WHEREAS, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has | 20 |
| called for the creation of more parks and playgrounds to |
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| counteract sedentary lifestyles; and
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| WHEREAS, Parks and natural areas contribute to increased | 3 |
| property values of neighboring properties; and
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| WHEREAS, Native Illinois wildlife populations have | 5 |
| declined precipitously, and currently Illinois has 424 State | 6 |
| and 24 federally listed threatened and endangered species; and
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| WHEREAS, Natural habitats have been shown to improve air | 8 |
| quality; and
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| WHEREAS, Illinois has lost more than 90% of its original | 10 |
| wetlands and 99% of it original open prairie and it is critical | 11 |
| to take steps now to protect the remaining acreage; and
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois State Wildlife Action Plan has won | 13 |
| national recognition but remains underfunded; and
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| WHEREAS, Illinois parks and natural areas generate 42,000 | 15 |
| jobs and create recreational opportunities for all Illinois | 16 |
| citizens; and
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| WHEREAS, Hunting, fishing, and wildlife associated | 18 |
| recreation currently generates nearly $4,200,000,000 in | 19 |
| economic activity in Illinois; and
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| WHEREAS, Voters have given overwhelming support to local | 2 |
| referenda for land acquisition and public opinion polls show | 3 |
| 92% of the public registering support for the State preserving | 4 |
| open space and wildlife habitat; and
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| WHEREAS, According to the most recent Statewide | 6 |
| Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2003-2008, more than | 7 |
| $3,000,000,000 in State and local funding is necessary to, | 8 |
| protect an additional 85,000 acres across the State, for | 9 |
| renovation and restoration projects in existing parks and for | 10 |
| new public recreation facilities; and
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| WHEREAS, Land acquisition is a capital intensive | 12 |
| investment; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL | 14 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | 15 |
| CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize that current funding for | 16 |
| open space is severely lacking; that capital budgets have | 17 |
| traditionally provided resources for land acquisition, | 18 |
| stewardship, and public recreational opportunities; that the | 19 |
| value of parks and natural areas in protecting Illinois from | 20 |
| flooding, improving water quality, generating economic | 21 |
| activity, and improving public health is without question; and | 22 |
| be it further
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| Resolved, That we urge the Governor to present a capital | 2 |
| budget that includes $100,000,000 on an annual basis for the | 3 |
| Illinois Special Places Acquisition, Conservation and | 4 |
| Enhancement (iSPACE) Program, which includes the following: | 5 |
| (1) a new statewide land acquisition program to protect | 6 |
| the State's most precious natural resources and provide | 7 |
| recreational opportunities, including matching grants to | 8 |
| local governments; | 9 |
| (2) implementation of the Partners for Conservation | 10 |
| Program (formerly Conservation 2000) through land | 11 |
| acquisition and management grants; and | 12 |
| (3) implementation of the Hunting Heritage Protection | 13 |
| Act by increasing the amount of land acreage available for | 14 |
| hunting opportunities in Illinois; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 16 |
| presented to the Speaker of the House of Representative, the | 17 |
| Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the President | 18 |
| of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Director | 19 |
| of Natural Resources, and the Governor.
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