(525 ILCS 5/2) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 9502)
Sec. 2.
As used in this Act, the following terms have the following
meanings, unless the context otherwise requires:
"Cave" means any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess, sinkhole or system
of interconnecting passages beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff
or ledge which is large enough to permit a person to enter, including
natural subsurface water and drainage systems, but not including any mine,
tunnel or other manmade excavation.
"Cave resource" means any cave and its contents, together with associated
topographic and hydrological features.
"Commercial cave" means any cave utilized by the owner for the purpose of
exhibition to the general public as a profit or nonprofit enterprise,
wherein a fee is collected for entry.
"Cultural resource" means any historic or prehistoric human remains,
artifacts, constructions or evidence thereof.
"Department" means the Department of Natural Resources.
"Director" means the Director of the Department.
"Gate" means any structure or device located to limit or prohibit access
or entry into any cave.
"Natural resource" means any material occurring naturally in caves
including, but not limited to, animal life, whether vertebrate or
invertebrate, plant life, paleontological deposits, sediments, minerals,
speleogens, speleothems, water and other natural resources.
"Owner" means a person who owns title to land where a cave is located.
"Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, association, trust,
corporation or other legal entity.
"Sinkhole" means a closed topographic depression or basin, generally
draining underground, including, but not restricted to, a doline, uvala,
blind valley, or sink.
"Speleogen" means the surrounding natural material or bedrock in which a
cave is formed, including walls, floors and ceiling and similar related
structural and geological components.
"Speleothem" means a natural mineral formation or deposit occurring
in a cave.
(Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)
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