Full Text of HR0547 103rd General Assembly
HR0547 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | | | HR0547 | | LRB103 35795 MST 65879 r |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION | 2 | | WHEREAS, Wetlands, including marshes, swamps, and bogs, | 3 | | play a critical role in reducing flooding, recharging | 4 | | groundwater supplies, and filtering pollutants and nutrients; | 5 | | and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Illinois contains hundreds of ecologically | 7 | | significant wetlands that provide habitat for a rich array of | 8 | | wildlife, including endangered species, and that are critical | 9 | | for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds due to their location | 10 | | within the Mississippi Flyway; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, Since 1972, the Clean Water Act has played an | 12 | | essential role in protecting aquatic environments from | 13 | | pollution and maintaining their role in providing drinking | 14 | | water, recreation, and wildlife habitats; and | 15 | | WHEREAS, In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court dramatically | 16 | | weakened the Clean Water Act in its ruling in the Sackett v. | 17 | | Environmental Protection Agency case; and | 18 | | WHEREAS, Sackett concluded that the Clean Water Act does | 19 | | not protect wetlands that do not have a continuous surface | 20 | | connection to a federally protected body of water; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Illinois has lost 90% of its original wetlands; | 2 | | and | 3 | | WHEREAS, Illinois has a goal of reducing phosphorus and | 4 | | nitrogen levels by 30% by 2035; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, Illinois landowners are taking proactive steps to | 6 | | protect and install wetlands and buffer habitats; and | 7 | | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a responsibility to | 8 | | protect its remaining wetlands and reduce pollution; | 9 | | therefore, be it | 10 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 11 | | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 12 | | we declare February 2, 2024 as "World Wetlands Day" in the | 13 | | State of Illinois; and be it further | 14 | | RESOLVED, That we urge state agencies, local governments, | 15 | | and other organizations to work together to preserve and | 16 | | protect wetlands. |
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