Public Act 90-0120 of the 90th General Assembly
Public Act 90-0120
HB0424 Enrolled LRB9001978NTsb
AN ACT to create the Illinois River Watershed Restoration
Act.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Illinois River Watershed Restoration Act.
Section 5. Legislative purpose. The restoration and
conservation of the Illinois River Watershed is in the
ecological and economic interests of the citizens of this
State. It is further in the public interest to stimulate
watershed management projects by local, State, and federal
agencies, local communities, not-for-profit conservation
organizations, and private landowners. It is the purpose of
this Act to: create a group of leaders representing
agriculture, business, conservation, and the environment to
encourage the implementation of efforts to restore the
Illinois River Watershed in accordance with the
recommendations of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor's
Integrated Management Plan for the Illinois River Watershed
Technical Report (1997); to work with local communities to
develop projects and regional strategies; and to make
recommendations to appropriate State and federal agencies.
This Act is not intended to dilute or replicate existing
federal, State, or local programs.
Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
"Council" means the Illinois River Coordinating Council.
"Illinois River Watershed" or "watershed" means the lands
that drain directly or through tributaries into the Illinois
River, including but not limited to lands surrounding the Des
Plaines River, Fox River, Kankakee River, La Moine River,
Mackinaw River, Sangamon River, Spoon River, and Vermilion
River.
Section 15. Illinois River Coordinating Council.
(a) There is established the Illinois River Coordinating
Council, consisting of 13 voting members to be appointed by
the Governor. One member shall be the Lieutenant Governor who
shall serve as a voting member and as chairperson of the
Council. The Agency members of the Council shall include the
Director, or his or her designee, of each of the following
agencies: the Department of Agriculture, the Department of
Commerce and Community Affairs, the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, and
the Department of Transportation. In addition, the Council
shall include one member representing Soil and Water
Conservation Districts located within the Watershed of the
Illinois River and its tributaries and 6 members representing
local communities, not-for-profit organizations working to
protect the Illinois River Watershed, business, agriculture,
recreation, conservation, and the environment. The Governor
may, at his or her discretion, appoint individuals
representing federal agencies to serve as ex officio,
non-voting members.
(b) Members of the Council shall serve 2-year terms,
except that of the initial appointments, 5 members shall be
appointed to serve 3-year terms and 4 members to serve
one-year terms.
(c) The Council shall meet at least quarterly.
(d) The Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall be
responsible for the operations of the Council. The Office
may reimburse members of the Council for ordinary and
contingent expenses incurred in the performance of Council
duties.
Section 20. Duties of the Council. The Council shall:
(1) periodically review activities and programs
administered by State and federal agencies that directly
impact the Illinois River Watershed;
(2) work with local communities and organizations
to encourage partnerships that enhance awareness and
capabilities to address watershed and water resource
concerns and to encourage strategies that protect,
restore, and expand critical habitats and soil
conservation and water quality practices;
(3) work with State and federal agencies to
optimize the expenditure of funds affecting the Illinois
River Watershed;
(4) advise State agencies on ways to better
coordinate the expenditure of appropriated funds
affecting the Illinois River Watershed;
(5) encourage local communities to develop
watershed management plans to address stormwater,
erosion, flooding, sedimentation, and pollution problems
and shall encourage projects for the natural conveyance
and storage of floodwaters, the enhancement of wildlife
habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities, the
recovery, management, and conservation of the Illinois
River and its tributaries, the preservation of farmland,
prairies, and forests, and the use of measurable economic
development efforts that are compatible with the
ecological health of the Watershed and this State; and
(6) help identify possible sources of additional
funding for watershed management projects.
To the extent practical, the Council shall perform its
duties in accordance with the Office of the Lieutenant
Governor's Integrated Management Plan for the Illinois River
Watershed Technical Report (1997).
Section 25. Agency duties. State agencies represented
on the Council shall provide to the Council, on request,
information concerning agency programs and activities that
impact the restoration of the Illinois River Watershed.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.