Bill Text: IL HR0185 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges that any new capital spending plan include a significant new initiative to fund the acquisition, restoration, and management of natural areas and open spaces.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-07-02 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HR0185 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2019-HR0185-Introduced.html
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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, The protection and restoration of wildlife | ||||||
3 | habitat is widely supported by the public, and the most recent | ||||||
4 | Illinois Outdoor Recreation Survey found that 84% of | ||||||
5 | Illinoisans agree that more wildlife habitat should be | ||||||
6 | protected and restored; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Investments in natural infrastructure provide | ||||||
8 | multiple economic, environmental, and social benefits to | ||||||
9 | communities that need functioning infrastructure and a healthy | ||||||
10 | environment; and
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11 | WHEREAS, Illinois has lost more than 95% of its original | ||||||
12 | wetlands and 99% of its original open prairie, making it | ||||||
13 | critical to protect the remaining natural habitat; and
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14 | WHEREAS, Illinoisans' overwhelming support the role of | ||||||
15 | parks and recreation facilities in their communities, | ||||||
16 | especially for preserving open space and improving fitness and | ||||||
17 | mental health; and
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18 | WHEREAS, Outdoor recreation contributes to a healthy | ||||||
19 | lifestyle for the State's youth and adults alike, and young | ||||||
20 | people need more access to safe, outdoor experiences to | ||||||
21 | counteract sedentary lifestyles and to offer alternatives to |
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1 | digital entertainment; and
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2 | WHEREAS, Economically disadvantaged communities are | ||||||
3 | disproportionately at risk from flooding due to loss of | ||||||
4 | permeable surfaces and are in the greatest need of open space | ||||||
5 | projects that can absorb floodwater that would otherwise damage | ||||||
6 | homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure; and
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7 | WHEREAS, The quantity of water supplied by aquifers, inland | ||||||
8 | streams, and Lake Michigan is limited, and land conservation | ||||||
9 | and restoration provides for the protection of drinking water | ||||||
10 | resources through water recharge and stream buffering; and
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11 | WHEREAS, Natural habitats have been shown to improve air | ||||||
12 | quality, and significant populations in Illinois live in areas | ||||||
13 | failing to meet federal air quality standards; and
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14 | WHEREAS, The Illinois State Wildlife Action Plan has won | ||||||
15 | national recognition but remains underfunded; and
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16 | WHEREAS, Hunting, fishing, and wildlife-associated | ||||||
17 | recreation currently support nearly 200,000 direct jobs and | ||||||
18 | generate $7.8 billion in wages and salaries in Illinois; and
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19 | WHEREAS, Protection and restoration of natural areas is an | ||||||
20 | important component of state action on climate change, as |
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1 | natural habitats sequester carbon through natural processes, | ||||||
2 | and open spaces make our communities and ecosystems more | ||||||
3 | resilient to the impacts of climate change; and
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4 | WHEREAS, Illinois park and forest preserve districts, land | ||||||
5 | trusts, and other organizations and units of governments are | ||||||
6 | challenged to fund habitat restoration, public access, trail, | ||||||
7 | and safety improvements at public open space holdings, | ||||||
8 | inhibiting natural resource value and public enjoyment at many | ||||||
9 | sites; and
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10 | WHEREAS, Land acquisition, restoration, and management are | ||||||
11 | capital-intensive investments; therefore, be it
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12 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
13 | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
14 | we recognize that current funding for open space acquisition | ||||||
15 | and management is severely lacking, that capital budgets have | ||||||
16 | traditionally provided resources for land acquisition, | ||||||
17 | stewardship, and public recreational opportunities, and that | ||||||
18 | the value of parks and natural areas in improving public | ||||||
19 | health, protecting communities from flooding, improving air | ||||||
20 | and water quality, and generating economic activity is without | ||||||
21 | question; and be it further
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22 | RESOLVED, That we urge a significant new initiative be |
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1 | included in any new capital spending plan to fund the | ||||||
2 | acquisition, restoration, and management of natural areas and | ||||||
3 | open spaces, which would include: | ||||||
4 | (1) A new statewide land acquisition program to protect | ||||||
5 | the State's most precious natural resources and provide | ||||||
6 | safe, quality outdoor non-motorized recreational | ||||||
7 | opportunities, including matching grants to local | ||||||
8 | governments and nonprofit land trusts and conservation | ||||||
9 | organizations; | ||||||
10 | (2) Implementation of the Hunting Heritage Protection | ||||||
11 | Act by increasing the amount of land acreage available for | ||||||
12 | hunting opportunities in Illinois; and | ||||||
13 | (3) Funding for capital improvements to state parks and | ||||||
14 | conservation lands that are consistent with natural | ||||||
15 | heritage protection and non-motorized recreation; and be | ||||||
16 | it further
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17 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
18 | delivered to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the | ||||||
19 | Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the President | ||||||
20 | of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Director | ||||||
21 | of Natural Resources, and the Governor.
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