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| Public Act 098-1010 | ||||
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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 | ||||
Natural Resources Restoration Trust Fund Act. | ||||
Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act: | ||||
"Department" means the Department of Natural Resources. | ||||
"Director" means the Director of Natural Resources. | ||||
"Fund" means the Natural Resources Restoration Trust Fund | ||||
created in Section 10 of this Act. | ||||
Section 10. The Natural Resources Restoration Trust Fund. | ||||
(a) There is hereby created in the State treasury the | ||||
Natural Resources Restoration Trust Fund to receive deposits of | ||||
moneys available from or intended for the investigation, | ||||
assessment, restoration, or replacement of injured or damaged | ||||
natural resources resulting from claims pursued under the laws | ||||
of the United States, this State, or other statutory or common | ||||
law. The fund may receive deposits of moneys made available | ||||
from any other source. All moneys in the fund are to be | ||||
invested and reinvested by the State Treasurer. All interest | ||||
accruing from these investments shall be deposited in the fund. | ||||
Moneys received through settlement or litigation of claims for | ||||
injured natural resources and directed at the restoration, | ||
rehabilitation, replacement, or the acquisition of the | ||
equivalent of injured natural resources and the benefits they | ||
provide, shall be available for those uses until the funds are | ||
expended. | ||
(b) All moneys deposited into the fund shall be used by the | ||
Department of Natural Resources to: | ||
(1) Take necessary or appropriate action to | ||
investigate and assess the nature and extent of injuries or | ||
damage to Illinois natural resources and the benefits they | ||
provide. | ||
(2) Take necessary or appropriate action to restore, | ||
rehabilitate, replace, or acquire the equivalent of | ||
injured or damaged natural resources and the benefits they | ||
provide. | ||
(3) Meet any requirements which must be met by the | ||
State in order to obtain federal funds, or any other funds, | ||
to address injury or damage to natural resources. | ||
(4) Pay for the cost of Department personnel, | ||
contractual, professional, or technical services to review | ||
or perform natural resource injury or damage assessments, | ||
natural resource restoration or replacement actions, | ||
environmental or ecological risk assessments, | ||
environmental impact assessment actions, or other | ||
activities related to environmental contamination of real | ||
property. | ||
(5) Administer the provisions of this Section. | ||
(c) The General Assembly shall annually appropriate to the | ||
fund such amounts as it deems necessary to fulfill the purposes | ||
of this Section. | ||
(d) The Department may accept, receive, and administer on | ||
behalf of the State any moneys made available to the State from | ||
any source for the purposes set forth in this Section. These | ||
moneys may be in addition to any other funds otherwise | ||
appropriated to the Department for similar purposes. Interest | ||
or income earned on moneys deposited into the fund shall be | ||
retained in the fund to be used by the Department pursuant to | ||
the provisions of this Section. | ||
Section 900. The State Finance Act is amended by adding | ||
Section 5.855 as follows: | ||
(30 ILCS 105/5.855 new) | ||
Sec. 5.855. The Natural Resources Restoration Trust Fund.
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Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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