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| Public Act 102-1008 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Rivers | ||||
of Illinois Coordinating Council Act. | ||||
Section 5. Purpose. The Rivers of Illinois Coordinating | ||||
Council was created by Executive Order 2013-5. This Act is the | ||||
implementation of Part III of that Executive Order, together | ||||
with additional provisions to ensure that the Council is able | ||||
to function as intended under that Executive Order. The intent | ||||
of this Act is to ensure that the Council is able to fulfill | ||||
its duties and purpose under that Executive Order. If there is | ||||
a conflict between the provisions of the Executive Order and | ||||
this Act, this Act shall be controlling. | ||||
Section 10. Transfer and consolidation of powers. | ||||
(a) The Rivers of Illinois Coordinating Council created by | ||||
Executive Order 2013-5 and implemented by this Act is the | ||||
successor to: (i) the Illinois River Coordinating Council; | ||||
(ii) the Mississippi River Coordinating Council; and (iii) the | ||||
Wabash and Ohio River Coordinating Council. | ||||
(b) All rights, powers, duties, and functions vested by | ||||
law in the entities specified under subsection (a), or any | ||||
office, division, council, committee, bureau, board, | ||
commission, officer, employee, or associated individual, | ||
person, or entity thereof, and all rights, powers, and duties | ||
incidental to those entities, including funding mechanisms, | ||
are consolidated in and transferred to the Rivers of Illinois | ||
Coordinating Council. | ||
Section 15. Rivers of Illinois Coordinating Council. | ||
(a) There is established the Rivers of Illinois | ||
Coordinating Council consisting of 20 voting members to be | ||
appointed by the Governor as provided in this Section. The | ||
Governor may, at his or her discretion, also appoint | ||
individuals to serve as additional non-voting members of the | ||
Council. | ||
(b) The Council shall include the following members: | ||
(1) One member shall be the Lieutenant Governor, who | ||
shall serve as a voting member and as Chairperson of the | ||
Council. | ||
(2) The State agency members of the Council shall | ||
include the head, or his or her designee, of each of the | ||
following State agencies or divisions thereof: (A) the | ||
Department of Agriculture; (B) the Department of Commerce | ||
and Economic Opportunity; (C) the Illinois Environmental | ||
Protection Agency; (D) the Department of Natural | ||
Resources; (E) the Department of Transportation; and (F) | ||
the Historic Preservation Division of the Department of | ||
Natural Resources. | ||
(3) The head, or his or her designee, of the: (A) Army | ||
Corp of Engineers; (B) the National Great Rivers Research | ||
and Education Center (NGRREC); (C) the Illinois State | ||
Water Survey; and (D) the Association of Illinois Soil and | ||
Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD). | ||
(4) Nine members representing local communities and | ||
not-for-profit organizations working to protect the | ||
rivers, business, agriculture, recreation, conservation, | ||
and the environment. | ||
(c) Members of the Council appointed under paragraph (4) | ||
of subsection (b) shall serve 2-year terms, except that of the | ||
initial appointments, 5 members shall be appointed to serve | ||
2-year terms and 4 members to serve one-year terms. | ||
(d) Members of the Council shall meet at least quarterly, | ||
and meetings may be held in-person, by videoconference, or by | ||
telephone conference at the discretion of the Chairperson. | ||
(e) The Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall be | ||
responsible for the operations of the Council, including, | ||
without limitation, funding and oversight of the Council's | ||
activities. Members of the Council shall serve without | ||
compensation, but the Office of the Lieutenant Governor may | ||
reimburse members of the Council for travel expenses from | ||
funds appropriated for that purpose. | ||
Section 20. Duties of the Council. | ||
(a) The Council shall do the following: | ||
(1) periodically review activities and programs | ||
administered by State and federal agencies that directly | ||
impact the Illinois River Watershed, the Mississippi | ||
River, and the Wabash and Ohio Rivers; | ||
(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 and rivers; | ||
(4) advise and make recommendations to the Governor | ||
and State agencies on ways to better coordinate the | ||
expenditure of appropriated funds affecting the Illinois | ||
River Watershed and rivers; | ||
(5) advise and make recommendations to the Governor on | ||
funds and the priority of projects; | ||
(6) encourage local communities to develop watershed | ||
management plans to address storm water, erosion, | ||
flooding, sedimentation, and pollution problems, and | ||
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 rivers, the | ||
preservation of farmland, prairies, and forests, and the | ||
use of measurable economic development efforts that are | ||
compatible with the ecological health of the State; and | ||
(7) help identify possible sources of additional | ||
funding for rivers and watershed management projects. | ||
(b) 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. | ||
Section 25. State agency duties. State agencies | ||
represented on the Council shall provide to the Council, upon | ||
request, information concerning agency programs and activities | ||
that impact the Illinois River Watershed and the rivers. | ||
(20 ILCS 3967/Act rep.) | ||
Section 100. The Illinois River Watershed Restoration Act | ||
is repealed. | ||
(20 ILCS 4003/Act rep.) | ||
Section 105. The Mississippi River Coordinating Council | ||
Act is repealed. | ||
(20 ILCS 4060/Act rep.) | ||
Section 110. The Wabash and Ohio Rivers Coordinating | ||
Council Act is repealed.
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